Cursed
by cALLIEfornia BENches
Summary: They're neighbors and best-selling authors. They're competitive and run in the same circles. It seems like fate is playing with them like toys with they way they're constantly pushed together. It never ends. They hate it--And they hate each other. ExB AH
1. ATTENTION

**ATTENTION:**

Due to our inability to extend the plot and ideas from our previous 'In progress,' _Typing Love in French, _Allie and I have instead come up with an entirely different storyline! Don't worry; the genre will still pertain towards the romantic side, and some of our characters from _Typing Love in French _are the same. Bella and Edward are still writers, Jacob is still a gay editor, and life as we know it for the two main characters will still never be the same...

Prepare yourselves, and once again, sorry for changing the plot.

We present to you:

Cursed.

_Enjoy,_

_cALLIEfornia BENches_


	2. Not Again

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** **[Ben] **NEW STORY!!! Yippee. Allie was incredibly sad and unmotivated when the romantic scenes came to an end on our main story, _Turning Eighteen. _Thus, after rethinking plots and deciding to delete _Typing Love in French _due to our inability for ideas, we present to you our newest story, _Cursed. _This is a complete change from our depressing, angsty vibe of _WHWHW. _Instead, it's going to be a romantic comedy. Only without the clichés you've seen a bajillion times. The story will be a compliations of EPOV and BPOV, with many flashbacks. Enjoy!  
**[Allie]** Hey guys! Just so you know, we'll NEVER repeat chapters from a different point of view. We don't like it when authors do that, so we decided against being hypocrites. Haha. Anyway, here you go.

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**Cursed  
****By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 1:** Not Again

**EPOV:**

"Sweet Jesus! What the hell is in this box?!"

The voice of Jasper Hale echoed through the empty living room as I laid a cardboard box hastily down upon the floor in a stack among the others. My back was starting to hurt from the continual heavy lifting, and my face was breaking out in a slight sheen of sweat. I quietly sighed at one of his many whines throughout the entire day, and turned around, only to be met with the tall figure of my best friend.

Jasper shifted into the room with loud footsteps. His arms were shaking slightly beneath the tattered brown package as he found an appropriate place to set it down. Immediately after, he placed his hands atop his knees, gasping wholeheartedly for much needed air. I walked towards the corner of the room where the water bottles stood, and tossed one through the air to Jasper.

"Jas, you alright?"

"I'll be fine," he coughed, sputtering a mess of water from his mouth and onto the new wooden floors. "Just give me a minute. Maybe two."

Small chuckles erupted from my throat as I witnessed the sight before me; Jasper was finally paying the consequences of quitting the gym in order to cater to all of Alice's wants and needs. At least I was fit enough to breathe normally without so much of a wheeze. Jasper was already a mess after carrying a box up two flights of stairs.

I pitied the man.

After a few minutes of slowing his heart rate down, Jasper finally released his hold on his knees, and stood up.

"Dude, what did you have in that box? I was surprised the box didn't rip!" Jasper whined.

"It's only the last of the CD's. Don't worry, there aren't anymore boxes left today. All you need to help me with now is rearranging the stuff so I can actually productively move in without tripping over all these things strewn across the floor," I laughed.

A look of happy relief washed over Jasper's features as he took in what I just said. Contently, he walked towards the couch still covered in protective plastic, and plopped himself down.

"What's with you and CDs, man? You have an iPod! Don't you think you should use it?" He eyed me incredulously before taking a large gulp of water. "I mean, talk about a waste of money...."

"I use my iPod, but I happen to like CD's too. Besides, these are all back-ups in case I happen to lose my iPod," I remarked defensively. It annoyed me to no end; I liked being a little traditional. Why couldn't my friends get it through their heads? I groaned. No one seemed to understand...

Behind me, Jasper loudly sighed in defeat.

"You still never told me why Emmett couldn't come help us with moving your stuff. And you _also _didn't say why you didn't just hire some moving guys to bring all this crap in. My back hurts!"

He was sounding more and more like my sister everyday.

"Well, you _know _why Emmett couldn't help; he has that anniversary dinner with Rosalie tonight, and the dumbass forgot about it until this morning. So he's spending his day frantically calling restaurants to make hasty reservations, and buying flowers, and planning the rest of the night."

"That _would _take Em all day to plan...," I heard Jasper faintly murmur to himself.

"And as for the whole 'moving guys' scenario, I simply don't trust those guys with handling my things. I'm not going to be paying for something I can do myself, for free, and most likely do it better," I remarked, slightly exasperated by Jasper's constant questions. "Now _that _would be a waste of money."

"Whatever," he said. "Let's just get to work. I want to finish before 3."

Jasper and I made fast work of everything within the boxes, rearranging the new furniture and placing all the numerous cooking appliances in the kitchen.

While I was still slightly annoyed, excitement still continued to bubble through my veins. I had finally moved. Away from the crowded studio apartment with the putrid smells and the rowdy roommates (who I never even took the effort to like). Away from the past failures I dealt with and the hardships I faced. Away from immature boys and overeager girls.

I needed to get back in my zone: the one that I had lost when I decided to temporarily move into that clumsy mess of a condo with just as clumsy a mess of people. As a bestselling author, nothing excited me more than gaining back my 'Writing Mojo.' And by starting anew, I was hoping dearly that this move would inspire yet another fiction success. I could finally be able to afford a new apartment in the city from my past profits. The next bestseller would help me stay here.

It was true: this place was perfect for the new life as the new Edward Anthony Masen.

Of course, some things never change.

"Dude, check out that hot babe stretching herself across from your balcony! Is that yoga?" Jasper groaned. I shook my head as I placed the last of my things away, walking idly towards my friend.

_3 years whipped with Alice and he still has the audacity to "check 'em out." Does he _want _to sleep on the couch again?_

I chose not to say anything; Jasper and I were too drained from lifting the countless boxes to argue today. I simply followed the appreciative gaze of my best friend to outside the balcony.

There she was.

Though I could only see her back to me, I was definitely not disappointed. Her long and shiny chestnut hair was set in a ponytail, allowing heavenly slivers of her neck to be seen from my spot on the big bay windows. She was wearing a tight shirt and exercise pants, accentuating luscious curves on her body in all the right places. I tried my hardest to suppress a groan.

_What a temptress. _

What was I saying? I quickly became thoroughly disgusted in myself. I never stared at a woman like she was some kind of... tasty meal. Only immature, perverted men, _boys_, acted like that. And I was certainly no low-life who simply stared hungrily at every passing lady.

But I couldn't help it with this one as I looked contently back through my window. By now, the "temptress," appropriately labeled, had raised her delicate hands to the sky while arching her back. My breath hitched in my throat, and I unnaturally felt my saliva pool in my mouth. She was beautiful and graceful. Even through my big bay windows, I could tell.

_I'm glad I asked for a view..._

Faintly, I heard Jasper murmur his meeting with Alice soon, signaling he was leaving. I was far too mesmerized to acknowledge him, and carelessly waved my hand behind me. Eventually, I heard the sound of my front door click closed.

Just me. And her.

I didn't realize how long I had continued to observe, but I found myself slowly walking towards the balcony of my apartment, determined to gain a better lookout point. Manners and privacy too soon had left my mind. Her curves were all I could think about.

Her hair.

Those pants.

That shirt.

_Sigh._

I felt the tingling sensation of my phone vibrate in the pockets of my jeans, and I irritatingly diverted my gaze from the sight before me to retrieve the damn device. Hurriedly, I unlocked my phone to see a text. _This better be quick, _I thought.

_I'm out of your building. And apparently, so is your mind._

_Remember to lock the door, man. Glad I could help today._

_Jasper_

My phone snapped shut from the quick agility of my fingers. All too soon, my head reared it's way across the small plaza separating my apartment from hers. We were actually in the same building. On the same floor.

My eyes scanned her windows as I noticed she was nowhere in sight. Her yoga was apparently finished. Disappointed, I huffed out a breath I didn't know I was holding. It was most likely just better this way; Edward Masen has better things on his mind.

Slowly, I began to turn my head from the view of her windows, when a flash of chestnut streaks filled my line of sight.

Jerking my head back again, my mouth dropped.

The "Temptress" was cleaning up her yoga equipment, finally showing her face in my direction.

Only, this wasn't just _any _"Temptress." This wasn't just _any _girl.

There she was.

Isabella fucking Swan.

_Not again._

**BPOV**

Relaxed.

That's how I always felt after my morning yoga. It put me in the perfect mood to get a good two to three hours of writing done, despite whatever stresses life had been throwing at me. It calmed me enough to settle my thoughts and focus on the tasks at hand: my fourth book. My life was packed with calls from my editor and publishers, signings, and traveling. It was nice to have that time to myself.

My neighbors respected this, and helped me to concentrate by making it a point to keep the noise down until around noon. It was easy, though, since my Seattle apartment building didn't allow children. I had an elderly widow to the left of me and a pair of newlyweds on my right. The newlyweds were definitely loud, but only at night—well, most of the time at least. They generally were up late enough to sleep through my writing period.

However, the newlyweds had only been staying in the apartment—which was originally the girl's—until they could find a bigger place. Which they did, about a month ago. They had been gone last week, and not only had my sleep immensely increased, but I no longer had to be worried when I brought guests over to my house in fear of a banging from the wall that separated their bedroom from my kitchen.

I cringed at the thought.

The new neighbor, I was told, was a young, hot male in his mid twenties. He was moving in today. In fact, he had been moving in since the wee hours of the morning. I could hear a couple low male voices conversing with each other and the occasional thump of dropped boxes and furniture since I woke up this morning at six. And even then, they seemed to have been at it for a while already.

Though part of me was eager to meet him, I was doing the best I could not to be one of those girls whose clothes suddenly disappeared in his presence.

_Ew_. A look of distaste plastered itself on my face. _Besides_, I thought as I brought my morning coffee to my lips, _I need to focus on my newest book_. I took a deep breath, letting the smell of coffee envelop my senses. It had always soothed me, ever since I was a little girl. I hadn't enjoyed the taste until I was in college, but it was the smell of home. I woke up to it every morning at my home back in Forks. My mom was addicted to it.

I smiled as I thought of Renee. She had been so supportive of my writing. I think she was secretly envious that I had gotten out of Forks, the small town in which I was born and raised, but she never let it be known. I had her support since the day I decided I wanted to write a book. She had even bought me my writing laptop, which contained every version of every book I had ever written, published or not. It even had the first half of my newest book, which I was going to be working on today.

I pulled the hair band from my hair, letting my long brown locks fall past my shoulders. My yoga pants and tank top made the perfect comfort outfit for writing. I crossed my legs underneath me, stretched my arms over my head, and cracked my knuckles. My pre-writing ritual, of course. I couldn't have written two best-sellers without it.

After clicking around for a moment, I opened my newest piece of work and smiled. This one was easily the best book I had written, in my opinion.

_Then again_, I thought as I started up my playlist of classical music,_ I think that about every book as I'm writing it._

A chuckle escaped my lips, and I placed my hands delicately over the keys.

But before I could get anywhere, a loud crashing and banging that I think was supposed to be music rang loudly and obnoxiously from my right. I banged my fist on the desk in frustration before angrily. I hated nothing more than being interrupted during my writing. And anyone who had interrupted me before knew my temper… I was not a happy person.

I twisted my hair up into a high ponytail and stormed next door. The music—if you could call it that—was so loud now, it was rattling the door. I wasn't the only curious neighbor, either. A few of the tenants across from him and on his other side had opened their door to see what all the ruckus was about.

"Ooooh," Craig, the guy who lived across the hall from me taunted, "He's going to face the wrath of Bella. Let me guess, he interrupted your writing?"

"You bet," I said through clenched teeth.

I wasted no time in pounding on his door as loud as I could. "Hey!" I shouted, "Hey!" My fist collided with his door so hard I feared it would break. With the combined stress of my yoga-improved strength and the loud vibrations from his music, it wasn't going to last long. I eased up slightly, but only because I didn't feel like paying for the door if it broke.

"Listen, I don't know how they do it where _you_ come from," I snarled, still shouting over the noise, "But here, we actually respect the others around us and don't blast this shit noise that some might call _music_, interrupting the peace and quiet around here. _Some_ of us are trying to work, and are finding it impossible to focus with the racket coming from your room." The music wasn't turned down, and he made no hint that he heard me.

I banged his door again. "Hello?! Turn it the fuck down!" Again, nothing. My eyes narrowed at the closed door, and I stormed back into my apartment. I would _not_ let this go. If he was going to live here, he was going to have to learn some rules.

Rule number one? _Never _disturb Bella Swan when she was writing.

I tore my cell phone from its charger and went back to the front of his door. I banged a clutched fist against it. "Alright, you've left me no choice. I have my phone right here, and I'm about to call the police for noise violation. You think I'm kidding, look through your fucking peephole and you'll see I have the phone up to my ear as we speak."

I turned my back to the door and placed one hand angrily on my hip, tapping my foot impatiently.

The phone rang once in my ear before the door flung open, spilling out more of the loud music. My phone was torn from my hand and snapped shut from behind me. I smiled, devilishly. "So, you're ready to compromise?" I said as I turned around to face the man that had seriously disturbed my peace.

A furious sigh escaped my lips. No way.

Edward fucking Masen.

_Not again._

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**A/N:** **[Allie] **Sorry if bits of Bella's part sound a bit angry… it was written at one in the morning while I was watching a Law & Order SVU marathon. That Stabler… His temper tends to ware off a bit on me when I watch it, and so therefore was reflected in my writing. Haha. Anyway, hope you enjoy the new and improved TLiF… We really didn't like where the other was going. It was too cliché for us. This is different. We like it _much_ better.  
**[Ben] **You know what to do. Review, PM, Alert, Favorite, Recommend. And check out our other stories if you haven't already. Ask for clarifications. And just so you know: we realize this is a short chapter. But it gets the ball rolling. The rest will be our usual lengths!

_Until next Tuesday,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	3. First Encounter

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Here's the second chapter of our newest story. **IMPORTANT: **The story has a lot of flashbacks, and every flashback is in third person POV. This is the first flashback. Every flashback will have the time period at the top, so you know when it takes place. Enjoy!

I just wanted to take a short moment here to plug a story: **Eight Years Later** by jmeyer. There's a link on our page if you're interested. She's amazing, and it's seriously one of the best stories Ben and I have ever had the pleasure of reading. We absolutely LOVE being her betas. She's awesomer than life.

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**Cursed  
by cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 2:** First Encounter

_20 Years Ago_

It was hot.

And even that, Isabella thought tiredly, was an understatement. She let out an exhausted sigh and pressed her sweaty forehead upon the only window in her room. She quickly retracted back at the scorching heat of the glass, and rubbed the spot with her hands where it felt burned. Lazily, she returned back to her gaze outside. Isabella desperately wanted something to cool her down, like ice cream. A small whine escaped her dry lips; what she wouldn't give to hear the musical chime of the ice cream man's truck about now. She carefully rested her head in her hand and pressed her face in front of the mini-fan her mommy had gotten her the day before. She made sure this time not to touch any part of the sun-baked windowpanes.

It was much too hot to be playing outside, that was for sure. She wasn't the only one that knew it, either. All of the kids in the local neighborhood seemed to have decided that the weather was far too extreme to be playing in the streets. The blistering sun had lingered high in the sky for what could have been days. The only people out were the newest neighbors that had just moved in the day before, and they were only out to unpack.

Isabella had caught glimpses of them as they moved from the back of the moving truck and into the house, but from her room on the second story, it was hard to see their faces very well. The moving figures were mirages in this weather; the heat waves began to distort the very vision outside. From what she could see, however, there were three kids. Only one of which was a girl, but thankfully she looked about Isabella's age. All the kids in the neighborhood before were either much older or much younger than her.

Peering closer, she spied the two other boys. One looked about Isabella's age, too, but the other one was definitely older. He looked about ten years old, and already he was a big kid. Picking on others seemed to be his purpose in life. Isabella was slightly intimidated by his size, and was thankful that she wasn't down there with them. The two boys ran around their large yard, visibly shouting and having an adventure. On second thought, despite the heat, the scene below looked more appealing to her with each passing moment.

But, as if the little girl had heard Isabella thinking about them, she gracefully skipped over towards Isabella's house. Not a minute later, the doorbell rang.

From her room, Isabella could hear her mom walking briskly towards the door, followed by a tinkling, high voice that sounded like hymn bells.

"Isabella!" her mom shouted up to her. "You've got a visitor!"

Isabella softly trekked down the stairs, making sure not to create more bumps and bruises on her knobby knees, and made her way to the front door where the little girl stood. Her short, black hair was radiant against her pale skin and piercing blue eyes. As Isabella stepped closer to the open doorway, the contrast between the two only sharpened: the paleness of her own skin didn't flatter her as it did with the girl who stood before her.

"Hi!" she said. "I'm Alice Masen." She seemed friendly enough, Isabella thought.

"I'm Isabella Swan," Isabella told her shyly.

"We just moved in next door. I wanted to know if you wanted to come out and play with me and my brothers?" The smile on her face was hard to say no to, so even though Isabella didn't feel like getting sunburned, she glanced at her mom.

"Go ahead, sweetie," Isabella's mom, Renee, said with an encouraging smile. It wasn't everyday that her daughter made friends this easily.

Isabella looked back to Alice and shrugged. "Okay."

She stepped outside and the hot air hit her like a brick wall. She coughed uneasily. She lived in Forks; she wasn't used to heat like this. It was in the nineties, she had heard her mom say. Hot air pressure coming from the ocean, and a rarity in the rainiest place ever. Isabella couldn't remember ever being alive when it had been that hot here.

She wanted nothing in the _entire _world than to hear that ice-cream man roll down her street.

"Wanna have a tea party?" Alice asked innocently as Isabella followed her back to Alice's new house. All Isabella wanted was to get out of the blistering sun. Alice wasn't talking about a _real _tea party, of course. But her parents had just gotten her a new tea set, and Alice was dying to have a tea party with someone; being the girl surrounded by dirty boys made Alice cherish these little opportunities. In fact, it was the first thing she unpacked when her family had arrived the day before. It had been sitting on the floor of her room ever since. Her brothers, Edward and Emmett, said it was too girly for them. She was ecstatic to finally have someone to play with.

She immensely hoped Isabella and she could be good friends.

Once she had gotten somewhat used to the weather outside, Isabella agreed to a tea party. She was hesitant about these sort of things, but in her eyes, a new friend was a scarce commodity.

"How old are you?" Alice asked curiously as the two girls entered the house. Isabella was shocked to find that it was cool—cooler than _her_ house, even. They must have had a lot of fans.

"Four," Isabella replied as she looked around. The house was identical to hers, she realized, as she looked around. The only major difference was that Alice's house was very empty, with the exception of a few items of furniture and a lot of boxes.

Alice gasped as if this was huge news. "Me too! And so is my brother, Edward. He's my twin. I have another brother, Emmett. He's a big boy. He's eight. He gets to go to big-kid school." Isabella was shocked. Eight? She had been sure the boy she had seen was at least ten years old.

Alice pouted, drawing Isabella from her thoughts. "I want to go to big-kid school, too, but mommy says I'm too young. I only go to little-kid school. I can't wait until I'm five and I can go to the same school as Emmett! Can't you?"

Isabella shrugged as they entered what must have been Alice's room. It seemed most of everything was already unpacked, in contrast to the rest of the house which looked like they hadn't even started. The furniture and bed were pink, somehow complimenting well with the dark shade of blue painted on the walls. She watched as Alice picked up a pink and white plastic tea set and carefully, as though it were china, carried it out towards the hall.

But as soon as she reached the door, her two brothers barged down the hall, the bigger one chasing the small one; the younger one's loud and carefree laughter irritated his brother to no end. Alice stopped abruptly upon hearing it, and one of the plastic teacups fell over. Alice was seething.

"Emmett! Edward!" her tiny voice shouted angrily.

The two boys stopped long enough for Isabella to get a good look at them. Emmett, who she assumed to be the bigger one from Alice's description, was even bigger up close. Even for an eight year old, he towered over petite Alice. His dark curly hair hung loosely over his face and he had dimples the size of craters, even when he wasn't smiling.

The other one, Edward, was also taller than Isabella, though not by a lot. He had messy hair that reminded her of a penny, except a little browner. Maybe like an old penny. Isabella smiled in an attempt to be nice when he caught her staring. His eyes widened and he looked up at Emmett. He wouldn't do anything Emmett wouldn't do. No way, no how. Even if he kind of wanted to play with the new girl, he thought. Emmett stared from the teacups, and back to Isabella, until a look of disinterest flashed over his boyish features. Edward quickly noticed the familiar expression. He turned back to Isabella, and slightly glared. If Emmett was bored here, so was he. And to think he actually had wanted to stay and play…

Isabella was taken aback by how angry he was being. What had she ever done to him? She hadn't even ever met him before now. She shied away from the boys and tried to shift herself behind Alice's tiny body, her cheeks flashing red.

"Are you sure you guys don't want to have a tea party with Isabella and me?" Alice asked sweetly, putting on the pout that Isabella couldn't say no to earlier.

Emmett scoffed, and Edward followed in suit. "Gross," Emmett said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yeah," Edward said, hating how tiny his voice sounded compared to his brother's. "Gross. We don't want to play any _girl_ games."

Alice's bottom lip trembled slightly, drawing even more attention to her pout. But surprisingly, neither boy caved. They must have been used to it, Isabella thought. There was no way someone could turn that face down if they hadn't grown up with it.

Alice sighed, hating that her brothers never wanted to play with her. But she seemed to accept that fact quite quickly. "Fine," she said, defeated. "Isabella and I will be on the front porch."

Emmett watched as the two girls made their way past him and his obnoxious brother, before realizing the advantage he could take. An evil smirk plastered itself over his lips before he reached over and tackled Edward to the ground, creating a resounding thump on the carpeted ground beneath them. He was vaguely aware of his mom yelling at them from downstairs to stop roughhousing, but it didn't stop him.

"Eddie's got a crush on the new girl, Eddie's got a crush on the new girl," he taunted, putting Edward in a headlock.

"Do not!" Edward shouted as he tried to fight off his brother's fist, which was now grinding against the top of his head. "She's a girl! Ew!" he tried to convince him, but it wasn't working. "Emmett, stop!"

Emmett let out a boisterous laugh before letting his brother go. "I'll give you a five second head start," he said as he stood up and watched his brother take off down the stairs as he loudly counted up to five. Their laughing chases had started back up again…

Isabella and Alice had just sat down on the front porch, the cool air blowing on them from the open door behind them, when Edward came running out, glancing nervously behind him as he jumped over their tea set and around the house. Alice quickly moved the tea tray to the side and told Isabella to get out of the way.

Isabella gave her a confused glance as she did what she was told. A second later, Emmett came rushing through the same path Edward had just taken, but he was much less graceful due to his large size. If the tray hadn't been moved, it would have been shattered. Isabella was glad she had listened to Alice; she obviously knew what went on around here.

As soon as Emmett passed, they set the tray back to where it was and sat down on either side. Alice smiled as if nothing had happened, and started pouring pretend tea—really just air—into two different tea cups.

"Thanks," Isabella said with a smile. She was never used to such fancy behavior before. She had grown up unaccustomed to sipping air. But Isabella liked to spend time with Alice. She'd happily endure it.

"You're welcome," she said, handing over an empty plastic bowl. "Sugar?" she asked.

"Please," Isabella said as she pretended to shovel a few spoonfuls of sugar into her tea and stir it up. It had been ages since she had played with a girl her age. Her dad was always taking her over to Uncle Billy's house to play with Jacob. Billy wasn't her _real_ uncle, or so her mom had told her, but he and Isabella's dad, Charlie, had been best friends forever. Jacob was fun to play with, and even liked a lot of the same things Isabella did—like Barbie's and dolls—but it wasn't the same as actually playing with another girl.

The two girls sipped their pretend tea in silence, the only sounds being the movers talking amongst each other from a distant.

"So, Isabella," Alice started, setting her cup down dramatically, "Want to be my best friend?"

Isabella pondered this a minute. She had always thought her best friend was Jacob, but what harm could it do to have more than one? She smiled at the little fairy of a girl next to her. "Of course, Alice," she said.

Alice's smiled brightened tenfold before she threw her arms around Isabella carelessly. If there had actually been tea in Isabella's cup, it would now be all over her shirt. But she didn't care. She simply hugged Alice back, thankful to have her first best girl friend.

"So…," Isabella said after Alice retreated to her side of the tray. "What do you want to do now?"

Alice sipped her tea and curled her other hand around it as if she wanted more heat—as if there wasn't enough in the air already. "I don't know," she said, as some movers pedaled a short, pink bike around the corner of the porch. Turning her attention to the bicycle, Isabella was momentarily stunned with awe at the beautiful tassels and small, white wicker basket at the front. The pink chrome glittered on the frame, sparkling its glossy sheen in her eyes. This, she hoped, was no mirage from the sun. Honestly, it didn't sound like such a bad idea to ride her own bike stored in her garage. It was, after all, better than the tea party. Seeing Isabella eye the bike in envious shock, Alice's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning

"Do you have a bike?" she asked excitedly, gathering up the tray of tea and dropping it off on a table just inside the doorway. It seemed teatime was over. Isabella nodded. "Go get it, then!" She danced over to her own bike, took it from the mover, and hopped on, immediately riding it down the driveway and into the empty street. Her speed was slightly limited due to the large training wheels wobbling below her back wheel.

Isabella laughed as she ran after her, toward her own house. She had never been very quick at making friends, so the fact that she had become best friends with Alice in a matter of an hour was astounding. She couldn't keep the smile off her face.

She was still giggling by the time she reached her garage. Alice parked her bike in the front and the little girls burst into the house, having an undeclared race to see who could get to the garage first. The two nearly crashed into Renee, who was cooking in the kitchen, but managed to weave around her in time without harm. Renee chuckled at them, but they were already too far-gone to notice.

There was no winner—an unspoken agreement made sure it wasn't competitive—but both Alice and Isabella had dropped, putting their hands on their knees to catch their breath. The smiled widely at each other before Isabella opened up the garage and walked her bike out by Alice's.

While there was no glossy sheen nor wicker basket on Isabella's, she thought her bike had character: slightly rusted with age and sturdy like a protector. Having it for so long, Isabella was only recently able to master two wheels, removing the training wheels from behind.

They rode around for a while, Isabella giving Alice an unofficial tour of the neighborhood. There wasn't much in the local neighborhood of her Forks home, so Isabella resorted to showing clever spots to hide when playing tag with the local little boys. From time to time, the two exchanged information about the other. Alice had previously lived in Seattle, when her father, a caring and devoted doctor, moved the family to Forks after the hospital was in desperate need of a new Chief of Staff.

The pair seemed content in enjoying new company, and distracting each other from the irritation of the heat.

But just as Isabella and Alice had rounded the cul-de-sac at the end of the street, two bikes sped furiously down the hill, heading towards the girls. With expert precision and obvious experience, the bikers narrowly avoided the frightened figures belonging to Isabella and Alice. Both the girls shrieked loudly. Alice put on an angry face and stepped off her bike just so she could throw her hands to her hips and tap her foot at the ones ahead of her: the two annoying Masen brothers.

Emmett and Edward were laughing, loving the fact that they were able to scare the girls. It had been Emmett's idea, but Edward hadn't hesitated to go along with it. Of course he wanted to do what Emmett wanted to do, but at the same time he was grateful that Emmett had stopped picking on him for few moments.

"Don't do that again!" Alice's little voice shouted. While her voice dripped with menace and venom, Emmett could see right through her sister's trembling façade.

Isabella merely blushed, embarrassed that she had screamed so loudly for no real reason.

"Aw, come on, Al. It was funny and you know it," Emmett said, wrapping one of his huge arms around his tiny little sister. It seemed like he was practically smothering her, but yet somehow she fit. Isabella was slightly jealous. She had always wanted a sibling.

"That was not funny! You could have gotten Isabella or I hurt! And what about you?! Mom said not to ride those bikes so fast. It's not like you were racing or anything. And you scared us! I won't have you scaring away another of my friends, Emmett Masen!"

"I have an idea," Emmett said. Secretly, this had been his plan the entire time. But he didn't tell Edward that. If he had, Edward wouldn't have come. "How about we make a deal. A race of sorts. First to the top of the street on their bike wins. If Edward wins, we get to bother you guys whenever we want. If Isabella wins, we'll leave you alone."

Alice stomped her foot. "Why Edward and Isabella?"

Emmett smirked. "Because I'm too big and you're too small. Isabella and Edward are the most evenly matched." Alice crossed her arms over her chest and let a loud breath through between her lips. She hated being so little. It was never any fun.

She looked over to Isabella to judge her reaction. Isabella nodded. It seemed fair. She secretly hoped to beat Edward and finally give him a reason to glare at her.

Emmett held out his hand to Alice. "Deal?" he asked.

She put her tiny hand in his and it disappeared. "Deal," she said fiercely.

Alice pulled Isabella over to the side to give her a pep talk. "Alright, here's the deal. You can beat him. Edward's fast, but he gets tired easily. You can do this, Isabella, I know you can." The excitement in her voice was hardly controllable anymore.

Isabella nodded, suddenly unsure. "Okay," she said. A look over at the boys told the girls that they were ready. Isabella mounted her bike and took a deep breath.

"On your marks," Emmett said, "Get set. Go!"

The two set off at an equal pace. Edward glanced over at Isabella and glared at her. He would _not_ be beaten by a girl. Emmett would never let him live it down. And then who would he play with? Certainly not Alice. No, he _had_ to win. He pressed forward, pulling slightly ahead of the new girl.

Isabella watched him pull ahead and furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. She was getting tired, and they weren't even half way there yet. There was no way she was going to beat him. He was a _boy_. They were so much stronger. But, she added, her determination was stronger. She had a bigger cause to fight for. Alice would have to live with their bullying forever if she didn't win this. It was a necessity. She pedaled a little bit harder and made her way in front of Edward.

He growled, and pedaled as fast as he could. His legs were burning, but he wouldn't let it deter him. He needed to win.

Isabella was worried. He seemed so fiercely ready to win. Her breath was breathing hard and she was probably straining a few muscles more than necessary, but it would be worth it when she won. _If_ she won, she thought with a glance over at Edward. They were neck and neck.

But suddenly, something went wrong with Edward's bike. It started jerking around the little road, and his petals weren't getting him anywhere. He was simply riding on pure momentum now, with little to no control.

It swerved to the left once, away from Isabella, before swerving back just as hard, if not harder. Isabella panicked as she saw Edward's bike heading towards her, but she couldn't stop. She was going to fast.

Their handlebars crashed, and Isabella went flying off to the side, landing with a crunch that sent a searing pain up through her left arm. Immediately, she started crying, cradling her arm to her chest. The bloody scrapes on her knees and elbows were nothing compared to her throbbing arm.

"Owie," she whimpered. She could see Alice and Emmett running towards the scene of the crash as quick as they could. Through her tears, she managed a glance to see how Edward was doing. But he wasn't there. She didn't see him anywhere.

Edward's knees, too, were bloody, but instead of waiting on the ground, he was up and running.

Running toward the end of the street.

He wasn't giving up.

He was vaguely aware of the pain in his knees and palms from where he skidded to a stop, but he couldn't care any less. He had a chance to win this race and darn it, he was going to win. Only a few more feet until his victory…

"YES!" he shouted, jumping up and down. "I won! Emmett, we won!"

But a glance behind him found his brother cradling a crying Isabella in his arms. What was he doing? _Traitor._

Edward stomped his way back to where Isabella was clinging to Emmett's shirt with one hand, and holding the other to her chest. Alice wasn't there, he noticed, and didn't know where she had gone.

"Emmett, we won!" Edward told him again as he approached him. "We won, we won, we won!"

The look on Emmett's face forced Edward back a few steps. "None of us won, stupid. Isabella's hurt."

"So what? Just because she's a weak doesn't mean we can't win. She's probably faking it, anyway. It's not fair," Edward said angrily. He just wanted Emmett to say he was proud.

Isabella looked over Emmett's shoulder and shot a teary glare at Edward. She couldn't believe he was saying things like that. There was no way she could be faking this. Besides, it was his fault that she was in so much pain. She hated him. She hated him so much, she never wanted to see him again. He was stupid and selfish and… well, just really stupid. She absolutely _hated_ Edward Masen.

"Edward, shut up," Emmett said. "Isabella's hurt."

"No!" Edward said. "We won, fair and square."

Emmett grunted quietly as he slowly rocked Isabella back and forth. She found that the motion soothed her, and made the pain and the anger soothe considerably. She couldn't even hear Edward's loud protests anymore.

A minute or two later, Alice reappeared with Isabella's mom trailing only inches behind her.

Emmett stood up and carried Isabella over to her mom, who quickly and efficiently scooped Isabella up into her arms. She brusquely thanked Emmett, before turning on her heel and retreating quickly back Emmett, Alice and Edward followed until Isabella and her mom disappeared.

Alice was crying. "Thanks a lot, Edward! She was my best friend, and now she's going to hate me! This is all your fault!" Alice shouted at him before running back into her house.

But Edward couldn't feel guilty. He hated Isabella Swan for ruining his chances at winning. He hated her so much. She ruined _everything _for him. Edward huffed, blowing a stray piece of hair into the air before walking back to his house. _Stupid Isabella Swan_, he thought. _I hate her, I hate her, I hate her._

* * *

**A/N:** Woo! What a chapter. So now you can see where part of their hatred comes from. But don't worry, their hatred just stems from here. They don't still hate each other just because Edward was a jerk when he was four years old. Haha. Stay tuned, lovelies. Review for a preview of Chapter 3!

**BEN's A/N: I like this chapter! And like Allie said, this flashback simply shows the stemming of the hatred that goes on between the two. We will have a chapter set in the present next week, where more background information will occur. **

**Remember: Those who review, receive. What do you receive? A preview of the next chapter, and an assurance of a good future chapter! But we need a more reviews so we can see how we're doing.**

_Until next week_,

cALLIEfornia BENches


	4. Oh, Crumbling World!

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Hey! Hope you enjoy this. This chapter is from Bella's point of view, as will be the next chapter. Every two Present Day chapters, the POV will switch. For example, this chapter and next chapter will be BPOV, then there's a transition chapter (usually a flashback or a guest POV) and then it'll be two EPOV chapters, etc, etc. Anyway, here we are. Enjoy.

**Ben's A/N: Miss us?! It was good to get a little imagination break. But not so great that it was in place of finals. Yuck. Oh well. Eat this up, our hungry readers!**

* * *

**Cursed  
****By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 3:** Oh, Crumbling World!

Present Day

**BPOV**

I couldn't believe it. Edward Masen was my new next-door neighbor. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to cry, scream and tear off a chunk of the nearby wall, or punch him in the gut. But I was leaning towards the latter. Barely.

"What are _you_ doing here?" I asked, furious, only to realize he asked the same exact thing at the exact same time. I glared at him and he sent it right back.

"I asked you first," we said simultaneously, again. I let out a frustrated growl. I couldn't even have a sentence to myself. He just _had_ to take _everything_. My hands unconsciously balled into fists, ready to hit something the second it set me off. And at the moment, I was about two seconds away from jumping off the edge.

"Oooh, catfight!" Craig yelled from behind me at the most inopportune moment of my life.

I snapped my head around and glared at him. "Not now, Craig," I said to him through clenched teeth. His eyes widened and he suddenly disappeared behind his door. _He should be afraid._ I turned back to Edward, with a burning fire blazing in my eyes. There must have been steam shooting off from my ears as well.

He was a dead man. "What," I started cautiously, making sure he wasn't saying the same thing I was, "the fuck are you doing in my apartment building?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Swan." His glare was still set upon his pretty boy features, and his slightly towering figure straightened as he menacingly began to cross his arms over his chest. It took the strongest of will not to snicker; he was trying to act like a tough man and scare me away. _Trying, tough, _and _man _being the key words to my sudden humorous thoughts. I had to gain composure if I was to win. And I _always _had to win against Masen.

"I live here, you imbecile."

A cocky grin formed on is face as he gestured to the apartment next to mine, the music still blaring from the door, rattling the entire building. "As do I."

My stomach dropped a little. This wasn't happening.

My head was shaking side to side as the words came out of his mouth. "No way. When we were little, I tolerated you as a neighbor. I got over the fact that we share the same group of friends. I'm no longer fussing over the many dresses and shirts you tore of mine when we wrestled as kids. Hell, I even put up with you in high school, when girls came over to my house simply to see you through my window. College was tough, having nearly every single class with you for four years, but I learned to deal. Now, I move to Seattle for some peace and quiet, and what do I get? Edward motherfucking Masen as a neighbor. Again. This must be some joke; I'm just waiting for Ashton to come out and laugh. Might I ask what I did to piss the world off?"

He was too smug for his own good. "I'm here to write, and quite frankly, as of now you're interrupting my writing time. I—unlike _some_ people I know—have another bestseller to get published."

He had nerve.

I folded my arms across my chest. "Alright, listen up, Masen. This is _my_ apartment building, and _my _workspace. I was here long before you. So don't get me started on how _I'm_ interrupting _you_. Second, I, as everyone else on this floor knows, write every day until noon. I don't care what gets you off, but at least _try_ to keep it down until then. Anytime after that, you're free to do as you please. And by keeping it down, I don't mean blasting music," I said with a pointed glance at his door.

"I'll do what I want, Swan," Edward scowled.

My eyes were so narrowed that he was skewed through a curtain of my eyelashes. But I forced myself to relax. The angrier I got, the more pleased he became with himself. I couldn't give him that satisfaction. I took a deep breath, just as my yoga teacher taught me. _In through your nose, out through your mouth._ I repeated the process twice more before I opened my eyes again to face him.

"Edward," I said calmly.

"Isabella," he mocked, innocently batting his eyelashes. I wanted to gag. He knew I hated that name. And he did it just to piss me off. _Not even Alice calls me that anymore._ Well I wasn't going to have any of that. I desperately dug my fingernails into my palms to suppress the urge to swing my fists. Blood was going to be drawn from my hands.

My jaw clenched, but I managed to stay relatively decent. "Maybe we can work something out. For example, if you stay quiet until twelve, I'll stay quiet until three or four? Is that okay?"

His eyebrows rose. "I don't have a set time when I write," he said.

"Must you always be so stubborn?" I whined. He was wearing me thin.

"Only when it comes to you, darling," he drawled with a sarcastic sweetness.

I huffed, frustrated, and stormed back towards my door. "Shove it, Masen," I managed to spit before I slammed my door. I was vaguely aware of the chuckle that escaped his lips at my back, but it didn't bother me. Pretty boy thought he had won. But oh, how wrong he was.

A terrible grin splashed itself over my face as I reached for my cell phone and dialed the number I had been trying to reach earlier.

"Seattle Police, what can I help you with?" a male voice answered gruffly.

"Yes," I replied, trying to keep the smile from my voice, "I'm calling to report a noise violation."

* * *

When a knock resounded at my door an hour later, I still hadn't gotten any writing done. Every time I had tried, his music would thump _that _much louder, and I would get distracted. It was like he was watching me. And I was thoroughly angry and creeped out.

I glanced over my shoulder one last time, just to make sure he wasn't on the balcony laughing at me, and headed toward the door. When I opened it, two police officers were standing in front of me in full uniform. I smiled.

"Isabella Swan?" The short, pudgy one asked. He looked like he had had a few too many donuts in his time.

"That's me," I said, leaning against the doorjamb.

"Wait, _the _Isabella Swan?" The other asked, snatching what I assumed was my report from Officer Pudgy's hands. His eyes widened as he read my name.

My smile broadened. I could totally use this to my advantage. "The one and only," I said. He didn't look like the kind of person that would read my books, but who was I to judge? Jacob, my best friend since birth, was gay. To each his own, I guess.

"My daughter, Tanya, is a huge fan of your books. She's always got her nose buried in one. Her husband swears that, if forced to make a decision between him and your books, they'd be divorced."

I laughed. "I'm glad she enjoys them." _Time to suck up_, I thought. "Send her by sometime. You know where I live. I can talk to her and autograph some stuff, if she'd like."

"Oh, she'd love that," he gushed.

"Alright, alright. Back to business," Pudgy said, waving a piggy-fingered hand in the air to swipe the papers back. "You said this Edward Masen was the problem?" He looked back down at his paper every-so-often, as if our names were really _that _difficult. Music echoed from his door and muffled out towards the hall. "I'm assuming that's him next door with the blaring music?"

"You've guessed correctly," I said. They nodded and Officer Pudgy wrote something down on the papers before they went next door. Instead of closing my door and letting them do their thing, I got myself more comfortable against the side of my door and watched. This was going to be good.

I wish I had made popcorn.

The two officers knocked twice against the door to announce their arrival. I could hear Edward yelling before he got to the door. "So I see you've given up. I'm not surprised, you always did lose those—" He cut off when he opened the door and saw the two policemen. I tried to pass off my laughter as a cough. Edward shot me a terrible look. I simply smiled and nodded toward the officers.

"Are you Edward Masen?"

Edward let out a frustrated breath and nodded, waving his hand in defeat. "That's me."

"We've got—"

A door opened in front of me and Craig poked his head out. "What's going… Oh, shit! It's the po-po!" All four of us watched, confused, just as he slammed his door shut. The distinctive sounds of locked bolts and something banging around like he was hitting pots and pans together. My brows furrowed as I stole a glance at the police officers. I had a feeling our faces were nearly identical about now. We could hear Craig's drawers opening and shutting for a minute or two before he appeared at the door again, a little more flustered.

"Oh, it's the po-po," he said casually. "What're you guys doing here?" He acted as if the past moments had never occurred.

_Smooth. _

I stared at him a moment, as did everyone else, before I finally spoke up. "Craig. Go back inside."

"Will do," he said, shutting the door slowly and quietly behind him.

"So," Officer Pudgy said, "Edward Masen, we received a call of complaint about a noise violation."

"Gee," he said sarcastically with a pointed look towards me. "I wonder who that could have been." I simply smiled at him.

"Mr. Masen, your decibel level is a disruption to those around you and I _should_ issue you a fine." I grinned haughtily. "But this time, we'll let you off with a warning."

It was as if Edward and I traded facial expressions. "No, no, no, no, no," I said quickly, leaving my place against the door. "I Googled this. He's supposed to get a fine."

Pudgy shrugged. "It was his first offense, and—"

"And he refuses to turn down his music," I finished for him. I turned to the other officer. "How am I supposed to finish my next book for your daughter when he's playing his music this loud? I can't do it."

The officer with the daughter's face fell. "She's right, John," he told Officer Pudgy—er, John. "We really should give him a fine. She's obviously been working hard for a pretty long time without any problems. The report says he just moved here, correct?"

"Yes," I said before anyone else could get a word in. Edward's jaw clenched and he folded his arms angrily across his chest.

"Obviously everyone else around here is aware that she needs her quiet to write. Isabella, did you tell Mr. Masen that he was intruding on your time?"

Ugh. That name.

"Yes, I told him very kindly—" Edward scoffed as I said this, but I ignored it, "—that around here, people try to help me out by staying relatively quiet until noon. They've all been wonderful. I don't mind a little noise—I don't expect them to be deadly silent until twelve—but I couldn't even concentrate it was so loud. How am I supposed to write books if there's crashing and banging from the room next door? These walls are very thin," I said.

"Hey," Edward cut in, "I'm an author, too. And I just happen to need loud music for me to concentrate. Just because it's a little different than Miss Swan here is used to doesn't mean that I should get in trouble."

Officer Daddy narrowed his eyes. "It sounds like you're just trying to get out of a ticket. What'd you say your name was again? Edwin Something-or-other?"

"Edward Masen, Officer. I'm a best-selling author." I tried hard not to laugh at his obvious attempt to dazzle his way out of the situation. He made it sound like he was important. Like he was the Pope.

"Well, I've never heard of you. My daughter's a huge book fiend. If you were anyone important, I'm sure I would have heard about you from her."

"You have a point there, George. I think Miss Swan has a point as well. Mr. Masen, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to fine you."

Edward sighed and avoided looking at me, knowing the look on my face was glowing with triumph. "How much, Officer?" he asked.

"It's $250 for your first infraction. Next time, it'll double. Anytime after that will be either $1000 or an arrest, depending on how the officers are feeling."

"You're kidding me," he said flatly.

"Appeal your case in court, sir, if you have a problem," Officer Jack said as he filled out a ticket. I smiled at Edward, who was glaring at me with such anger, I might have wanted to go back inside, but I was basking in my glory.

A few moments later, a disgruntled Edward received his punishment, and the cops vacated the hallway.

So, with a happy smile and the music shut off, I closed my door behind me and let the victory of my win engulf my senses. I was a clear winner this time, and there was no way he could deny it. He got a $250 fine and I got my writing time back to normal. A glance at the clock told me it was nearing two. I couldn't care less that my writing time had long passed. It was quiet.

And I won.

Finally, with my house quiet with the exception of my classical music, I sat down at my computer and perched my hands over the keyboard.

Just as my phone rang.

I sighed, a little angry, but refused to let it get to me. My victory was too sweet to be tarnished.

"Hello?" I said somewhat breathlessly.

"Bella, my dear!" my publisher and best friend in the whole world, Jacob, greeted me. "How's everything going?"

"Great!" I said with exaggerated enthusiasm.

"That bad, huh? What happened?"

"Edward Masen happened. Guess who moved in next door? I'll give you a hint. His name starts with an 'E,' ends in a "-dward Masen,' and as long as I can remember, we've hated each other. Good news is, he hasn't lived her more than twelve hours and I've already called the cops on him."

"That's my girl," he said laughing. "I can always count on you to hold your own. But go easy on him, darling. He _is_ a family friend."

"You think I don't know that? We've been forced upon each other since we were four. My mom and his mom have been planning our wedding since the day they met. It's sickening, really," I said, spinning in my chair until I was facing the wall that I shared with him.

"I know how Renee and Esme are. I grew up with you guys too, remember? If you recall, it was me they were trying to set you up with. That is, until they found out I played for the other team." He laughed boisterously. "Anyway, babe, I was just calling to check up on my star writer. Write another Best Seller for me, alright? I'm counting on you. You put food on the table for me. I just wish I could find another you, you know? Not to replace you, of course, but in addition to. I'd love some extra money." He laughed on the other end, clearly enjoying himself.

"No pressure," I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Jake. Nothing at all. I kind of have to get back to working now, if I'm going to be bringing in some more cash for you."

"'Atta girl. Go inspire some wet dreams. Female wet dreams, that is."

"Can females have wet dreams?" I asked, mostly to myself. We tended to ramble when we spent time together.

Jacob answered anyway. "Hell if I know. You get what I'm saying. Go write some smutty novels. You know everyone loves them." Was that his form of a compliment?

"Thanks?"

"Anytime, babe." Ah, so it was an attempt at saying something nice. "Anywho, I was just wondering if you'd be able to come into the office tomorrow morning? I want to discuss some of the new stuff going on with your book. See how it's going and all."

"Yeah, no problem, Jakey. See yah tomorrow."

"Later, Hell's Bells."

I hung up the phone and finally, after many hours of distraction, got some writing done.

* * *

I waited in the uncomfortably white lobby in Jacob's publishing office. White chairs, white walls, white carpet, tables, desks, and everything in between. It hurt my eyes. Not to mention I wondered how they kept everything so… pristine. I vaguely wondered if there was someone who had to come in each night and bleach the carpets and get down on their hands and knees until everything sparkled.

The secretary sat at her desk, her bun as tight as the stick up her ass. Her glasses perched on her nose like an old librarian and her back was as straight as a board. I wanted to push her over, just to prove that she could be relatively imperfect for merely one second.

The phone rang and she reached over to pick it up with a crisp "Black Publishing, this-is-Mary-how-may-I-help-you-today?"

After a few affirmations, she hung up the phone and turned her graceful head toward me. "Mr. Black will see you now," she told me before going back to whatever she was doing at her desk.

I stood up and made my way back to where I knew Jake's office was. I knocked twice before opening the door and letting myself in. He was behind his desk, typing quietly on his computer.

His large, lanky frame was barely held into the contours of the leather office chair. Jake was at least six foot four inches, with short, russet hair that played well on his features and dark skin. Muscles, lean but oddly defined, shaped the outline of his tight business suit; he had always needed to custom-fit his clothes.

"Just one second, Sugar Booger, I've got to finish writing this email. I'm planning a date on Friday," he said with a quick wink in my direction.

"Who?" I asked, sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

He grinned. "My hair stylist. His name's Ringo," he drawled, asking without voice that he wanted me to question further so he could talk about how fabulous he was.

"As in Starr?" I chuckled.

"As in his name was Ronald and he liked Ringo better. He's a big Beatles fan."

I laughed. "What do those two names have in common aside from the fact that they both start with 'R?'" I asked.

He paused, clicking something on his computer, before turning to me. "Well, they both have an 'o.'"

We both laughed. "So what'd you need, Jake?"

"Just wanted to hear how your newest is coming. You know, all the juicy details: plot, characters, hot temptress, the man she _should_ be with, the man that she _will_ be with, yadda, yadda, et cetera, et cetera. You know: the works." Did he ever stop talking? "Unless you're thinking of a little change of scenery, and are going to do _my_ type of books. Thusly, the man _he _should be with, and the man _he _will be with. I know you'd do great in that area. And who knows? Maybe then you'd inspire some _real_ wet dreams." Apparently not. "So tell me. What's this new book about?"

"Actually, Jake, it was inspired by Mary, your secretary."

His brows furrowed. "What kind of fun would you have with that? She's so prim and proper all the time… totally ew," he said, waving his hand in the air.

"Exactly," I said with a smile. "She's perfect. She's a hoity-toity, stuck-up bitch that no one likes, with the exception of her hoity-toity, stuck-up, bastard of a boyfriend. But then she gets this package delivered…"

Jacob's laughter nearly shook the room. "Oh, the irony is delicious. I want to serve it on a hot plate and eat it up." I smiled and continued on for the next hour or so, explaining what I had planned for the plot in great detail. I was over half-way done writing it, almost to the three-fourths mark. I would probably be done within the next month.

"Sounds like a Best Seller if I've ever heard one. Nora Roberts, move aside. There's a new smut writer in town."

I chuckled and stood up as we both walked toward the door. He held it open fore me and kissed both my cheeks. "Bella. My sweet, innocent, Bella." He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "You're just growing up so fast," he said.

I laughed. "Shut up, Jakey, you're only a month older than me."

"And don't you forget it, baby cakes. Call me later and we'll do coffee this week, alright? I'll need to tell you about my date with Ringo." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. I laughed.

"Love you, Jake," I said, kissing his cheek and walking out the door. "I'll see you later this—" I cut off as I saw what was waiting in the lobby. Quickly, before he could see me, I ran back into Jake's office and shut the door. "What was that?" I asked, my back leaning against the door as if he was going to come from the lobby and knock it down.

"What was what?" he asked all too innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me, Jacob Black. What's he doing here?"

"Oh, it must have slipped my mind," he said casually. I glared at him. Slipped his mind, my ass. "Edward's publishing company went under in the economy. They sent all their writers here, to me." He shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

"And why did you not tell me? You know this means he's even more competition now than he was before, right? You _know_ how competitive we are. This won't end up well and you know it." I smacked his arm.

"Aw, Bells, don't you worry. The authors at Black Publishing are like best friends, and you know it."

My arms folded across my chest and I pouted. I knew it was immature, but I couldn't help it. "Some best friend you are," I said. "You shouldn't have taken him on. He's going to steal all your time away from me."

"No, he won't," he said. "The only way that's even remotely possible is if he decides to come out of his non-existent closet. My gaydar is out of this world, and he's probably the straightest guy I've ever met. It's a shame, really…," he drifted off.

I sighed. "Fine. But I won't like it. And don't expect me to make nice with him just because we're going to be working together."

"That's fine, darling. Now, you better scram. I've got other appointments." He shooed me toward the door, smiling.

"Bye, Jake," I said as I walked out of his office. I put the hood on my coat up and my head down as I walked as fast as I could through the lobby so he wouldn't see me.

_When would this stop?_

* * *

**A/N:** Haha. Recognize some of the conversations with Jacob? They were from TLiF. Haha. :) Oh, and pardon all the Beatles references (Jacob's date and the officers' names). I was listening to "Let It Be" on vinyl when I was writing it. Hahaha. (Oh, and Sugar Booger? That's what one of my friends at work calls me. Well, he called me that until a month or so ago. I was recently promoted to "Vanilla Muffin." :) Needless to say, he's my favorite part about going to work. Haha.)

**Ben's A/N: I hope you like this chapter! Remember to REVIEW, because it makes our writing better, and we love to hear feedback. Allie personally replies back, AND you get a preview of the next chapter if you review. So do it. Please. I'm so excited to write the next flashback; it deals with an aspect within this chapter that is simply too funny not to write. **

_Until next week,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	5. It's So On

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N**: Sorry it's a day late! We got behind on Turning Eighteen and didn't get a chance to post that until 24 hours before we were supposed to post Cursed. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 4**: It's So On

Present Day, BPOV

I huffed as I collapsed on the couch and put the cold washcloth I had just made over my forehead. It had been such a long day. I flipped on the television to a random channel—I think it was the History Channel, something about the 1960s—and let my eyes flutter shut, the smooth sound of the narrator's voice lulling me to sleep.

_How could Jacob let this happen?_ I thought in my dazed, half-asleep state. I wanted to strangle him. He _knew_ that we wouldn't get along. What could he have possibly been thinking when he too on Edward? There were so many other publishers out there that would have taken him. Hatred aside, I could acknowledge he was a good author. He'd have to be, or he wouldn't have as many Best Sellers as me.

A sigh escaped my lips as I turned, holding the washcloth to my forehead, to my side. I wanted sleep. After my exhausting day yesterday, Edward had made it a point to be as loud as possible, _without_ blaring his music. I couldn't call the police again, not without proof. So he settled on banging his pots and pans as he unpacked, and knocking things against the wall—the wall we just happened to share.

Consequently, my cumulative hours of sleep last night turned out to be around four.

Just as I put a foot over the line of asleep and awake, the shrill tone of my phone rang through my ears. I groaned and threw the washcloth across the room, vaguely aware of the splat it made against the sliding glass door to the patio and the soft thump of it hitting the floor. I blindly reached out behind me to where I had placed my phone earlier. After hitting the table twice, I finally found it and opened it, pressing it to my ear without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I answered groggily.

"Bella!" my best friend Alice called back.

I held the phone away from my ear, groaning. "Alice, you just woke me up. Thanks to your wonderful _brother_, I only got four hours of sleep last night." I paused, opening my eyes. "If you tell him that, I'll murder you. If he asks, I got a full night's sleep. Eight hours, just like any adult should."

I heard her sigh on the other end. "I'll never understand the competitiveness between you two. I don't even think I remember a time where you guys haven't been neck-and-neck, fighting to be on top."

"It's just how we work," I said. "We won't ever get along. Ever. I tried more than once and he just couldn't accept it. We don't get along, Alice. There's nothing you can do about that."

"I know," she said sadly, "But I just hate that my best friend and brother hate each other so much. It makes me so upset, and I hate choosing sides."

"That's easy," I said, with a short laugh, "You choose my side. I'm the one that's right all the time, and you know it's true."

"Bella, this isn't a laughing matter. Try to imagine if you had to constantly choose between your best friend in the whole wide world and your brother. Your flesh and blood. It sucks, Bella. I hate that you guys hate each other. Which is why I have to talk to you. Like right now. Can you meet me at Starbuck's in five?"

"Why can't you just tell me over the phone? I'm not in the mood for coffee right now. I want to go to sleep, and I want to take a nap until I get over the sleep that I lost last night because of your stupid brother. I think, being related to him, you owe this to me." I pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and set it on top of me, curling it over my shoulders. "Alice, just bring Starbuck's over if you're really that eager. I'm not leaving."

She sighed dramatically. "Fine. What do you want? The usual?"

"Of course," I told her. "I'm going to unlock the door. Just come in and wake me up. I'm going back to sleep."

"I'll be there in twenty," she said, hanging up. I slipped my phone shut and tossed it back on the table, closing my eyes again in an attempt to get back to sleep.

I must have been out as soon as my eyelashes clashed, because the next thing I remember I was being shaken awake.

"Bella," a tinkling voice said from above me, "Bella, wake up. I have Starbuck's…," she taunted, swirling my Venti Iced Passion Tea Lemonade in front of my face. I couldn't help but smile and take it from her hands.

"Thanks," I said, the sleep still thick in my voice. I kicked the blanket off of my upper body and sat up on the couch, making room for her. "So, Alice," I said. "Sorry to be so blunt, but what's up? As much as I love you, I want to sleep at least another hour and a half before I have to go to a signing downtown, and that's at four. So let's hurry, I've only got three hours."

She sat down next to me on the couch and took a sip of her Grande Nonfat No-Water Chai Tea Latte, thinking over her answer. "I… kind of… wanted to know if maybe…," she paused and bit her lip.

"Spit it out, Alice," I said.

"Please come to Edward's housewarming party. Pretty please? With sugar on top? I would love you for ever and ever," she blurted.

I rolled my eyes. "No, Alice," I said without hesitation. No way was I going to go to a party for that…_ thing_ next door. No way, no how. She couldn't drag me there if she handcuffed me to a tugboat.

"Please, Bella? It would mean so much to me. And Edward. I know you two haven't always gotten along, but I think he hides how much he really cares for you."

I scoffed and kept my eyes trained on the coffee table in front of me. "You said yourself that we can't stand each other not a half hour ago. It would probably mean more to him if I didn't go. Really, Alice. I think you underestimate how deep our loathing goes. I'd rather not be kicked out. That'd be too embarrassing, even for me."

"Be serious, Bella. It's a housewarming party. There's going to be a ton of people there. He probably won't even notice your presence." She set her cup down and sat back in her chair, taking in the sun.

"Why didn't you guys throw _me_ a house party?" I frowned, refusing to acknowledge her previous statement.

"Bella, you hate parties."

Twirling my straw between my fingers before taking a sip, I frowned. "It's the thought that counts. Besides, that's exactly why I shouldn't go tonight." I smiled. Score one for the brunette. "But really, I want to know why I never got a housewarming party. Why would you throw _him_ one, and not your best friend?"

"You would have told us not to bother."

"How do you know?" I asked. "You never tried."

"Bella, do you want to go to this party or not?"

"No."

"Then don't argue with me saying you wanted a party. If you want a party so bad, we can change his housewarming to a double party, and you can celebrate your housewarming together," she said with a satisfied smirk, knowing I wouldn't be okay with this.

"Over my dead body," I sneered.

"Great," she said. "So you'll come to the party? It's tomorrow night at nine. Don't come fashionably late, that's not fashionable at all. Show up at nine in a cute dress." She stood up and headed toward the door. "Got it?"

"Alice, no—"

"Excellent," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then." And with that, she was out the door. I groaned and fell back onto the couch. There was no way in hell I was going to go to that party.

* * *

I can't believe I'm going to this party.

I stood in front of the mirror in Edward's bathroom, admiring my cute new blue baby doll dress with the large silver gem in the middle of my chest. I'm not exactly sure how I ended up here, but I know some part of it had to do with Alice. I know she showed up at my house earlier to "stop by and say hello before she went to set up Edward's apartment," but I don't remember much after that. I think my mind blocked out all the primping, styling, and poofing. Next thing I knew, I was in Edward's house, looking pretty good.

And I was at a part.

Edward's party.

In Edward's house.

I sighed in defeat. I wouldn't be able to stay for long. I would likely suffocate from all the Edward-ness of this place. It was only 9:30 and already the apartment was shaking with loud rap music, blasting from the same stereo his metal shit was blaring from earlier.

Unfortunately, if I stayed his bathroom much longer Alice would notice I was missing and hunt me down, making sure I stayed with her the rest of the night. And if I was going to sneak out a decent hour tonight, I couldn't have that happening. That would be very, very bad. Very bad. I ran a hand through my hair and made my way out of the bathroom and into the living room, where all the furniture had been pushed aside and a dance floor had been made.

These parties were never really my style. Actually, parties in general weren't my style. So instead, I usually sat in the corner and people-watched, looking for new characters, as any good author would do.

I watched the people swarming in the middle of the living room, grinding up against each other in a disgusting manner. My lips twitched just watching it. But what I saw next simply made my entire day: Edward was running around his apartment, trying to get people to stop touching his stuff.

"Don't touch that vase," he ordered at some guy who used the hole in the top for a drink holder, "It's an antique." He ripped the vase from the guy's hands and stormed into another room, setting it down before coming out and breathing a sigh of relief. It only lasted a second, though, until he saw Craig standing on the top of his dining room table. He was over there at an inhuman speed, shouting at Craig to get down.

I couldn't help but laugh. This was becoming a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Now if only I could think of a way to encourage people to keep touching his valuable stuff…

Emmett happened to walk past me as I was forming my plan, and it all fell into place. "Emmett!" I shouted over the music to get his attention. He turned around and smiled at me.

"Bella!" he said. "So glad to see you could make it. You look hot."

I laughed. "Thanks. Where's Rosalie?" I asked, quickly sweeping the room for his unfairly beautiful girlfriend.

He waved a hand vaguely toward the dance floor. "Somewhere over there. She wanted to dance, and I told her I'd join her in a few. I wanted to make a trip around the party first, and scope out what was going on."

"Hey, listen," I said, leaning closer to him. "I overheard Edward talking to a friend earlier," I lied, "And he said he was kind of wanting this party to get a little more wild. Why don't you go spike the punch? I'm sure he's a little too busy to get around to it right now."

"Great idea, Bells! I'll go do that right now." And before I could say anything else, he had disappeared into the kitchen.

_Perfect_, I thought to myself mischievously.

And an hour later, the entire party was drunk off their asses. I may have had a drink or two myself, but I was clearly the most sober of the bunch. So I decided to move onto phase two of my plan.

I leisurely made my way through the crowd of people. I pulled one particularly drunk girl off to the side and leaned in close to her ear. "I have a secret for you," I said.

She giggled. "I looove secr'ts," she slurred. "But I-wanna tell _you_ one furst. Guess wha'? I thunk I looove Eddie. So handsome," she mumbled. "So… pretty." She glanced over her shoulder to where Edward was dancing awkwardly with a blonde chick. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Really?" I said. "That's nice. Wanna hear _my_ secret?" She nodded her head eagerly. "Edward wet the bed until he was nine years old."

"Ew!" she squealed at an ear-achingly high pitch. "I _so_ don' love hum 'nymore."

"Go tell your friends over there," I said, pointing to the group of bimbos flocked around the punch bowl like it was a dead carcass and they were vultures.

She stumbled over to her friends and I'm guessing told them, because as soon as she pointed over to Edward, their mouths dropped open. My grin widened.

"Bella!" someone shouted. I glanced over to see Craig, my neighbor, and smiled. "I'm _so_ drunky-drunk, Miss Bella."

"So I see," I said, amused. "You know what you should do?" He shook his head, and then immediately regretted it, pushing his hands to either side of his head as if he was trying to steady it. "You should go start a Conga line. I know Edward said he thought that'd be fun. Make sure to make it an adventure. Go over as many pieces of furniture that you can find. That's how Edward likes his Congas, okay?"

He smiled a toothy grin, reminding me of a child. "Okay."

I watched as he made his way over to a girl and took her hands, putting them on his shoulders. She started laughing and following him, and it didn't take long for the train to grow to the size of fifteen or twenty people.

Feeling satisfied, I decided it was my time to leave. The music was hurting my ears, and I wanted nothing more than to leave.

Unfortunately, the couple drinks I _did_ have led me to thinking the front door had moved to a different wall. I noticed, as I opened the door, that I was in the wrong place, but I made no effort to move. I could see the vase that Edward had taken from that man earlier sitting on a short glass table just by the door. A large bookcase filled one wall as well, reminding me a lot of my own library.

But most importantly, I could see his computer sitting on the desk in the far corner.

The monitor was on, and a Word document was up, but I couldn't see what was on it. Closing the door behind me, I made my way over. I knew I shouldn't, and I should respect his privacy, but I couldn't help it.

_Stop it, Bella_, I scolded myself. _How would you like it if Edward read your book?_

I shook my head. I would hate it. But still… it was like putting an alcoholic in a room full of brandy. They would drink it, no doubt. As would I.

However, as an author… I knew nothing good would come of this. It was almost like an author's code. You _never_ asked to see an author's book before it was published. It was like suicide. And no matter how much I hated Edward, I should respect his privacy… right?

I hesitated, shifting my weight from foot to foot, before I finally gave in.

_Fuck it,_ I thought to myself. _Hand over the damn brandy_.

Making my way over to his desk, I sat down in the chair. It was surprisingly comfortable. I leaned forward to read his document, and saw that it was, in fact his newest work-in-progress. The page count said he was somewhere around two hundred pages, so I scrolled to the top and started reading.

Immediately, I was hooked. I had never read one of Edward's books before. I never knew how… captivating they would be. I couldn't stop my eyes from reading, line after line after line of delicious reading material. Granted, it wasn't something you'd find on my bookshelf, but that was because it was an action-packed thriller, not because it was written by Edward. I preferred romance.

Still, his writing was stunning. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised—I mean, he _did_ take nearly all of the same classes as me through college, and he _did_ have three Best Sellers—but it was hard to believe that the man I hated could be so talented. I may have actually gained a little respect for him just now.

I laughed to myself. _Respect. Yeah, right._

I don't know how long I was standing there reading, but before I knew it was on page one hundred. And the action hadn't let up. I was hooked. I made a mental note to go to the book store and buy a few of his best books.

A creak sounded behind me, and the music flooded in. I turned in Edward's chair, my heart jumping into my chest, and saw none other than Edward himself enter the room and shut the door behind him, letting out an exasperated breath. "Thank god I'm out of there," he said to himself before opening his eyes and scanning the room.

And, consequently, me.

"What the fuck are you doing in here?" he asked. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I had just broken one of the cardinal rules of writers, and I was caught. Red-handed. He stormed over to the desk and glanced over my shoulder to see what I was doing. "Why are you reading this?" he asked. "This isn't yours to read. This is my stuff. If you want to go read my work, go buy some. But don't think you can get away with fucking sneaking around my house and reading my newest stuff."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my tail in between my legs. "Edward, this is really goo—"

"Damn straight you're sorry. Here I am, letting you into my house even though I told Alice I didn't want you to come, and what do you do?" His voice was rising. "You fucking sneak behind my back and go through my personal stuff. That's _mine_," he seethed. "You don't get to do that to me. If I was in your house, I wouldn't read your new book. I'm not that inconsiderate. At least _I_ know how to respect peoples' privacy." He shook his head, as if in disappointment. "Just wait until Jacob hears about this."

"You wouldn't," I said in a low voice. Now _I_ was getting angry. "Edward, I said I was sorry. What would you like me to do? I stumbled in here on accident and liked the quiet. Is that such a crime?" I stood up and faced him.

"No, but reading my unfinished work is. Get the fuck out of my house."

Stubbornly, I crossed my arms over my chest. "No," I said.

His lips pursed in frustration. "Don't make me carry you out. You aren't that heavy, I could do it."

I stood my ground. "I'd like to see you try."

Unfortunately, he did. He lifted me up and threw me, somewhat ungracefully, over his shoulder, and storming angrily out of his room. He made his way through the crowds of people, despite my kicks and punches against his back. I internally thanked Alice for making me wear short spandex underneath my dress, so I wasn't giving everyone an eyeful.

As soon as we made it out of his apartment, he set me down. I pushed him back and dusted my dress off. "Jackass," I spat.

"And don't come back in," he said venomously.

Just as he turned to go back into the apartment, a new voice startled both of us. "Excuse me?" it asked.

I looked over my shoulder to a tall, slender woman in front of my apartment door, holding a little piece of paper and looking extremely lost. But as soon as she saw my face, she smiled.

"Are you Isabella Swan?" she asked, giddy.

I smiled cockily. "Yes, yes I am." I resisted the urge to look back at Edward and sneer. I was more popular than he was. This woman didn't even recognize his—

"And ohmygod, you're Edward Masen."

I could hear his smile in his voice. "Yes," he said. He took a few steps forward and shook her hand once, kissing the back of it. _Suck up._

"Wow," she said. "You're so much hotter in person." He chucked. "My name is Tanya. My dad came here a few days ago for some reason or another. He's a police officer. He told me he helped you out," she said with a pointed glance a me, "and that you said I could stop by sometime? Sorry it's late, but I just got in and came straight from the airport; I live down in California with my husband."

I nodded. "That's fine," I said. "No problem at all. I'm so glad to finally meet you." I shook her hand as well. "I love hearing from my fans. And from what your father said, you sound like a big book-reader."

"I am," she said. "I love your books, Miss Swan."

"Please, call me Bella."

"Bella," she repeated. "It's so great to finally meet you. And you too, Edward. It's so cool that two of my favorite authors live right next door to each other! I don't know who I should like more!" she said, laughing.

But to Edward and me, this was no laughing matter. This was now a competition to win Tanya's affection.

We shared a determined glance.

_Oh, it's on._

* * *

**A/N:** Shout out to Maggie, who specifically requested an appearance from Craig this chapter. :) We love you. **IMPORTANT: **Check back again toward tomorrow night for additions and updates by Ben. He fell asleep before he got a chance to add his bit. :)

cALLIEfornia BENches


	6. Tug of War

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N: **Here's Chapter 5. :) ENJOY!!!!

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 5:** Tug of War

_18 Years Ago_

Pretty days were rare in Forks, Washington.

And yet, today was as close to beautiful as Forks got; the sky only had scattered gray clouds, leftover from the rainstorm the night before, the temperature was nearing sixty, and all of the residents were in their longer shorts and tee-shirts. It was a perfect day for Miss Hubert's first grade class to play on the still-damp play-toys at recess. They had been advised to stay off the grass, as it was muddy and they were likely to fall, but who could really control the actions of six-year-olds?

The kids poured out onto the fields and toys, excited, their lessons quickly forgotten. A kickball game was started up on the big field nearest to the fence that separated the massive playground from the parking lot that was nearly vacant with the exception of the teacher's cars. The children were frantically at work to formulate a game. If only they were as studious as they were avid subjects of fun.

Miss Tracy Hubert made her way over to the recess teacher, wondering vaguely how you could teach recess, but desperate enough for adult contact to talk to her. The constant screaming and yelling was enough to intimidate even the bravest. Tracy Hubert was relatively new to Forks. And she was absolutely terrified.

"Nice day," she commented lightly, brushing her blonde hair from her face and folding her thin arms across her chest as she watched her children chase each other.

The recess teacher, who she knew to be Cindy, smiled at her but refrained from commenting. Cindy wasn't a jealous person, but if she was jealous of anyone, it was Tracy Hubert. Tracy was fresh out of her sorority—top of her class, of course—always happy, and way too damn gorgeous. She had long blonde hair that every girl could envy, the All-American blue eyes, and a tiny little body with curves that people paid thousands for. Cindy had felt a little self-conscious around Tracy.

She pulled her jacket tighter around her in an attempt to hide, though she knew it wasn't working.

Thankfully, little Isabella—or Bella, as she now insisted she be called—Swan came running up to the two women, her cheeks tinged with red and a smile stretched across her little face. The two women, though different, could easily concur on one thing. The small child bounding towards was an absolute angel. It was students like Bella that made teaching the magnificent task it was meant to be. Bella quickly, and quite clumsily, stopped to a halt before the adults.

"Miss Cindy, Miss Cindy!" she shouted, running up and hugging one of Cindy's legs.

Cindy laughed loudly and crouched down to Bella's level. "Well hello, Miss Bella. How are you today?"

Bella's smile, if possible, got wider. "Good," she said. "How are you?"

No matter how many times Cindy talked to Bella, she was always astounded at how mature she was for her age. Never in her ten years of teaching had a six-year-old asked how she was doing. Cindy smiled broadly. "I'm doing well," she said. "Thank you for asking."

If there was one thing unfortunate about Bella, was that Cindy could never stop smiling around her. Her cheeks would always hurt when around this little girl.

Tracy watched the interaction between Cindy and Bella and couldn't help the jealous twinge in her gut. Cindy was always so great with the kids. They adored her. And while Tracy knew her students liked her, they never greeted her like Bella had Cindy. Not wanting to intrude on the moment, she decided to walk over and watch the kickball game.

"Now where's Little Alice?" Cindy asked, glancing around the fields for Bella's tiny best friend who could have easily been mistaken as a kindergartener, or even an old preschooler.

"She's over there," she said, pointing over to where a group of little girls and boys were crowded in a circle, watching the kickball game as best as they could. Two of the girls were playing a hand-clap game, but quickly grew bored and sat down onto the bleachers. Cindy spotted Alice sitting next to her twin brother, Edward.

"Why aren't you playing with her?" Cindy asked, tucking a flyaway piece is Bella's hair behind her ear. Even though Cindy had only known Bella the two years she had been at Forks Elementary, she felt a motherly pull toward her, almost as if she was her own. Cindy knew that Bella's mom was a bit… adventurous, and wasn't always the best mother she could be toward Bella.

Bella's smile dropped as she looked over to her best friend. "She's with Edward," she said solemnly. "I don't like Edward. He's mean."

Cindy clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Now, Bella. He's your best friend's brother. You're going to have to learn how to get along with him, hmm?"

She sighed in defeat. "Yes, Miss Cindy." Bella didn't feel like explaining to Miss Cindy that she had _tried_ to get along with Edward, but he just didn't want to be friends with Bella. He was too mean and angry all the time. But she would do what she could to appease Miss Cindy.

"Why don't you go join them? I wouldn't want you wasting your recess here with me."

Bella sighed, defeated. "Alright," she drawled. There seemed to be a hesitant tone lingering in her defeat.

She skipped—because they weren't allowed to run—toward the group that Alice was with.

Elementary school has always been a period in life filled with flourishing friendships and jovial pastimes that people could eventually look back upon and wonder how life ever functioned so simplistically. All around, children were throwing around balls, or running around tirelessly along the monkey bars.

Here, at Forks Elementary, the latest activity in vogue amongst the younger classes seemed to be Tug-O-War. Every Tuesday, such as today, or when the usually damp ground miraculously stayed dry from the lack of rain, the students all gathered around the square, eager to bring out the worn-out rope; it was an almost ceremoniously idolized item among the recess toys. But today, the hype of Tuesday's Tug-O-War was in high fashion. Very rarely did the sun ever shine down on Forks' playgrounds. Everyone was excited.

At last, Mr. Smith, the Physical Education's director of the school, bounded towards the school's squares, lugging the famous rope over his shoulder. Almost immediately, students quickly made their way to the usual spot in the grass, pushing and shoving each other for an ideal spectator's view. Alice and her friends were among the first to find spots, just as little Bella was crossing the field to join. At first glance at the rope, Bella's initial hesitant and morose drawl changed into a full-out grin.

She had forgotten it was Tuesday.

She was supposed to be facing Edward Masen today.

Even faster than before, Bella awkwardly ran towards the ever-growing crowd in the square. Pushing her way through the rest of the first grade student body, she found herself inside the circle, taking her rightful place on one side of the rope.

Today was the day Edward Masen was going to lose to Bella. She couldn't wait. For the past year, ever since the two started school and were fatefully thrown into the same class, Edward and Bella's competitive attitudes towards each other had exponentially increased. The two despised each other. Edward said Bella had cooties while Bella would call him names. They never got along. The latest fuss seemed to be over recess itself. Edward didn't think Bella could beat him at this great game. Thus, as last week's Tug-O-War match was concluded, Edward proposed a game between each other.

Of course, Bella accepted.

Within the next two minutes, Edward had made his way through the circle, surrounded by his fellow rope-mates. Bella only recognized Jasper, Emmett's best friend that seemed to be at the Masen household almost as much as Bella, and Emmett. Edward had intentionally chosen the largest kids in his grade.

Bella, stubborn and loyal to her own friends, requested that Alice form her team. Her best friend ended up grabbing shy and scared Angela Webber along for the ride, and a few select others joined.

Bella compared her team to Edward's, and the grin turned into a frown. There seemed to be no question when it came to which side had brute force. And strength meant everything in this game.

Bella was no longer so sure about this. She instantly regretted agreeing to play…

"Ready to lose?" sneered Edward. His hands were on his hips, and a devious, lopsided smirk was set on his features, frustrating Bella. He knew she hated his cocky behavior.

_Well, I'm not giving up now, _she thought. Bella wasn't going to let some boy tell her what she could and couldn't do.

"Ready to cry?" retaliated Bella, creating the tense atmosphere that occurred whenever the two started a competition.

Without another word, the teams lined on either side of the large rope, centering an attached rag at the middle to a line on the ground. Edward and Bella both stubbornly situated themselves at the head of their lines, never taking their eyes off one another.

At the sound of a nearby whistle, the tugging began, and immediately, Bella felt a pressuring strain on her arms. This was going to be one long game. The rope was relatively stable, with no clear indication on a winning team.

Over two minutes passed, and eventually, players from both sides started to let go of the rope, exhausted and rubbing their hands which were now starting to cover themselves in blisters.

Eventually, the rope shifted, and the guys began to take the lead.

It was three on four, now. Four girls against three guys. And the guys were still winning. Bella tugged harder on the rope, hoping to pick up on some of the slack from her classmates.

Not much ground was gained. She growled at the little boy in front of her. Little Edward Masen was sneering at her, a mischievous glint set on his face. It only made Bella pull even harder. In the back of their minds, they knew there were other people on their team, tugging on the rope. But Edward and Bella had yet to acknowledge them.

This was between them, and only them.

To Edward and Bella, it was just the two of them tugging on the rope in a test of physical strength.

More time passed, and only Edward and Bella remained. The rest, even Emmett who had easily grown bored, had dropped out and were eagerly jeering on the sidelines with the rest of the school. Never had a Tug-O-War match gone on for so long. Both Edward and Bella were breathing heavily, a light sheen of sweat blanketing their faces. It seemed that neither was going to let go anytime soon.

Recess was almost about to end.

The crowd was cheering. Even Miss Hubert, the fourth grade teacher Mr. Smith, and Cindy had gathered outside the sea of children to witness the small spectacle.

But eventually, Bella lost her footing, and she lunged forward with the pull of the rope. Silently, she cursed her clumsy behavior, disappointed. She had let her team down. She had embarrassed herself before the entire first and fourth grade class. She was tired, muddy, and sweaty.

She had lost to Edward Masen.

"Maybe next time, Isabella," Edward sarcastically called out as he approached her. But he didn't have any further time to aggressively remark his achievement, for the bell signaling recess's end rang loudly. He was immediately swept up by his rope-mates towards the classrooms.

Behind him, Bella lazily walked to her class, ashamed and frustrated that she had lost. If there was one thing she hated most, it was losing to Edward Masen. Bella would never hear the end of this. She gritted her teeth, envisioning the arrogant boost of overconfidence he must have received in her failures.

And he had the nerve to call her Isabella! The entire reason why she even asked that everyone no longer call her Isabella was _because _of Edward Masen. Her full name just sounded too… proper. And too much like his name. She needed to be different; she wasn't going to be grouped with Edward Masen any longer. Yes, in her eyes, Bella was a much better name.

It still made her angry that he called her that because he knew it made her frustrated.

Most of the students had already vacated the field, and the sunny atmosphere of Forks was beginning to become enshrouded in its infamous cloud cover. Bella hastily retreated back towards her classroom, adamant on only two things.

One, that she was going to no longer be a clumsy girl. All it ever did was get in her way and ruin her chances.

Two, that she would find a way to beat Edward Masen again. Somehow, he would lose, and she would get her revenge. Even if it was the last thing she ever did.

* * *

Edward was angry. And brooding.

With his arms folded across his chest, he sat in the window seat in his room and looked out over the neighborhood, his gaze automatically landing upon Isabella's house.

They were coming over tonight. All of them. The entire Swan family was coming over to enjoy dinner with his family, and he was _not_ looking forward to it. His eyebrows furrowed in anger. He didn't want her to take over the house and his siblings, like she did every time. It was always Bella, Bella, Bella, every time the Swans came over. If he didn't know any better, he would think that his parents loved her more than him.

He huffed an annoyed breath. _Isabella._ The name even _sounded_ evil in his mind. Only a little part made him feel slightly better. He planned on adding to her frustration by calling her using her full name. He knew that she hated it.

"Edward!" he heard his mom call as she walked up the stairs. "Are you almost ready? The Swans will be here any—" She cut off as she saw Edward, still in his muddy school clothes, stubbornly sitting in the corner of his room. Elizabeth Masen sighed at her little boy. Always so stubborn. Just like his father.

"Why aren't you dressed?" she asked.

"I don't want to," he said, pouting out the window.

Elizabeth sighed and sat down on the cushion next to her son. "I know you don't get along with little Bella very well, but that's no reason to be angry at everyone, Sweetie. You'll grow out of it eventually, and you'll regret treating her this poorly now."

Edward didn't say anything, but he watched as Isabella and her mommy and daddy left from their front door and made their way over to his.

"Oh, here they come," Elizabeth said, rushing over to her youngest son's closet and quickly pulling out a tiny polo and a nice pair of jeans. "Put these on," she said, "and then come downstairs and join the rest of us. Dinner will be served in ten minutes. We're having your favorite: spaghetti and meatballs with Daddy's famous garlic bread."

Edward's mouth watered, and he looked up to his mom with wide eyes. How could he say no to his favorite food?

"Get changed and you can have as much as you want," she said, a smile crinkling up her green eyes. Of all of her children, Edward was the only one that got his mother's eyes. The other two got their father's baby blues. Edward was practically a spitting image of his mother, with the exception of his more masculine nose and jaw-line. Other than that, the hair, eyes, mouth, and face were all Elizabeth's.

She stole one last glance at her son, who was now practically sprinting over to the clothes that she had laid on his bed. She smiled slyly to herself as she descended the stairs, just as the Swan family entered the foyer. Immediately, Elizabeth saw Bella take off toward Alice and the two embraced in a tight hug before disappearing off into Alice's room.

"Dinner will be ready in ten," Elizabeth called after them.

She hugged both Renee and Charlie, took their coats, and led them into the living room where her husband, Edward, was setting the dining room table. The adults sat down and immediately started catching up.

Dinner was a quiet affair, save for the chatter of the adults and the hushed secrets whispered between each other occasionally. Edward was disgusted. He didn't know what to do, other than sit next to Emmett and do as he did. And right now, Emmett was eating. So, of course, Edward followed.

After seconds—and thirds, for Emmett—the parents made their way into the living room and told the kids that they would be watching a movie. Edward made his way up the stairs after Emmett to change into their jammies. He chose his favorites—the racecar-clad cotton ones—and quickly pulled them on in place of his polo and jeans.

Emmett emerged from his room in a sweatshirt and sweatpants—they didn't make pajamas for his size—and met his brother in the hall. "Are you ready to watch another Disney movie?" he asked, clapping Edward on the back. Edward stumbled forward slightly with the force, but chuckled anyway.

When they reached the bottom, the girls were already laying down on the makeshift bed that the parents had made up of pillows and blankets on the floor for all four of them. Alice was on the outside, closest to the couch where the older couples would be cuddled up as soon as they finished the popcorn, and Isabella was next to her, her long brown hair splayed out all around the pillow.

Edward scowled. Did she have to take up so much space? This little bed was made for four, but looked like only three would fit with the way her hair was everywhere.

However, in the moments Edward had taken to get angry, Emmett had pushed forward and taken the outside spot. A small grunt sounded from the back of Edward's throat, though the pitch of his little voice made it sound less than menacing. His mouth pouted and his brows furrowed. He stomped his foot in protest.

He rolled his eyes and moved over to the final space in the blankets.

"Can you move?" he asked pointedly at Isabella.

"No," she said, offering no further explanation.

"Your hair is in my way."

"Deal with it," Isabella's voice barked back at him. Alice and Isabella suddenly burst out into giggles at her retort. The anger flared in Edward's chest, and his fists balled at his sides.

He stormed into the kitchen, where the second large bowl of popcorn was being filled. "Mom," he whined. "Isabella won't move, and her hair is all over the pillow I want to use and I can't lay down until she moves it but I asked her and she won't move it and she's just doing it to make me angry and it's working and I'm angry," he rushed out in one breath.

"Slow down there, cowboy," his father, Edward Sr. said. "What's going on?"

Edward took a deep breath and started over. "I want to go lay down, but Isabella's hair is everywhere. I tried asking her to move it, but she didn't."

Edward Sr. opened his mouth to respond, but Elizabeth was quicker. "Why don't you two try and work it out on your own. Ask her politely, with an extra 'please,' and see if that works. If it doesn't, come back and talk to us."

The little boy made his way back into the room to see that nothing had changed. Her hair was still everywhere, and his pride was still about to go out the window. If there was one thing he hated more than Isabella Swan, it was having to be polite to Isabella Swan. But he wanted his spot, and he didn't want to ask Emmett to move.

"Isabella?" he asked quietly.

"It's Bella," she snapped, not taking her eyes of the blank TV screen in front of her.

He bit his tongue to keep from lashing out, but tried again anyway. "Isabella," he repeated, "Can you please move your hair so I have a place to lie down?" He held his breath for an answer, half of him praying she would say yes and he could leave it alone, but half of him wishing she would say no so he could get her in trouble.

Isabella got a pensive look on her face as she contemplated her options. Option one, letting him lay down, seemed like the easiest, but then it would mean he had won. And she couldn't have that. _Option two it is_, she thought to herself.

"You know, Edward," she said. "Isabella doesn't really feel like moving. Bella, though, wouldn't mind moving one bit. Maybe if you asked Bella instead of Isabella, you'd get a spot." She huffed and spread her hair out even farther over what was supposed to be his spot.

_That's it_, he thought to himself as something inside the little six-year-old snapped. All of the inhibitions he had before were out the window, and he was angry. Very, very angry.

In a fit of anger, he reached down and yanked Isabella's hair, pulling it out of his way as forcefully as he could. She squealed, one hand going to her head, as if it would soothe the pain. It didn't. The tears in Isabella's eyes were unavoidable. Before Edward could fully realize what he had done, she was wailing and crying.

"Hush up!" Edward whisper-yelled, trying to keep the parents in kitchen. "You'll bring the parents in here."

Upon hearing this, Isabella decided to overplay the dramatics a little. Her screaming stepped up a notch, and she forced more tears to spill down her cheeks. The pain was mostly gone now, but she wanted Edward to get in trouble. It worked.

The adults came rushing into the room, eager to see what all the fuss was about. Immediately, Renee rushed to Bella's side and pulled her into her lap, asking her to tell her what happened.

"Ed—Ed—ward pulled my h—h—hair," she sobbed into her mommy's chest. "And it hurt really bad."

Renee cooed over her only daughter, soothing her hair and placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Edward, is this true?" his mother asked him, placing her hands on her hips and tapping her foot. Edward could recognize that look with his eyes closed; his mother was really, really angry. And there wasn't anything that he could do now to get himself out of it. He would have to deal with the consequences. _Girls are so stupid, _he thought to himself. He didn't dare say it out loud, especially with his mom beside him.

"No, Mommy," he said, running to her and wrapping his arms around her leg. "She was being really mean to me and wasn't letting me have a spot. So I gently moved her hair to the side so I could finally lie down. Promise, Momma."

"He's lying!" Alice defended her best friend. "I saw it happen. He pulled her hair. Hard, too. It was terrible, Mommy."

Elizabeth traded glances with her husband. They both knew what was coming. "Edward, did you lie to me? You know lying only gets you into more trouble."

He sniffled. "But—"

"Edward," his father growled, "Go up to your room. Now. No movie for you tonight."

"But Daddy—"

"Don't 'But Daddy' me, young man. You not only hurt little Isabella, but you then decided to lie to us about it. That is no way to behave." Edward Sr. crossed his arms across his broad chest, looking as scary as possible. "Go to your room."

Edward shuffled his feet, but not before standing in front of Isabella.

"Sorry," he pouted, hoping to gain enough pity points to stay. He wasn't actually sorry. Furious was a better word. But he really wanted to watch that Disney movie. Glancing over at his parents told him otherwise, however.

Edward sullenly made his way toward the stairs and clambered up them, angry as can be, tears streaming down his face. _How come she _always_ wins?_

* * *

**A/N:** Hope you enjoyed it all. :) I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.

**Ben's A/N**: I love writing this story! I don't think you understand how cute this is. Little Edward is simply a charmer… Don't forget to review. Reviews help Edward get the opportunity to watch more Disney Channel films. And prevent your from being cursed yourself!

Next chapter will be in Edward's perspective.

_Until next week,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	7. Flour and Eggs

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :) As for Craig... well, that's our fault. :)

**A/N:** You ready, readers? This is in Edward's point of view. Thanks for all the previous reviews from last chapter. Enjoy :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 6**: Flour and Eggs

Why did waking up have to be so incredibly difficult?

My alarm failed to wake me up today. Instead, my ears perked up to the sound of fist on wood; someone was knocking on my door. I groaned as I lazily rolled in bed towards the nightstand that held my clock. _And at eight in the morning!_

Who in the hell knocks loudly this early in the morning on a Sunday? Better yet, who knocks this early, ever?

Last night, and well into the early hours of this morning, was absolute hell. Unlike the small gathering I had hoped for, my sweet little sister instead invited hoards of individuals to yesterday's housewarming party. There must have been more people in my apartment than in the entire complex. And rather than enjoy myself, indulge in the pleasures of laughing, smiling, and possibly reacquainting myself with old friends, I was forced to become host. I stocked and restocked on drinks (which I had _intended _to be non-alcoholic. Funny how that worked out...), I talked with people I realized I really didn't ever want to see again, I tried desperately to keep everything in tact, and I had to make sure Emmett didn't do something to anger Rosalie.

There was a conga line. Led by Craig.

And it was all thanks to Isabella Swan, my goddamn neighbor. My deepest prayers last night were for her absence, and therefore a possibility of enjoyment. But she showed up after Alice's constant begging, provoked everything for the possible worst, and turned my gathering into a high-school party, complete with cheap booze, obnoxious music, and vomit on the fern located on the balcony.

And she had the nerve to read my unfinished work! I perhaps expected it from a bunch of overeager readers, but not Bella. Sure, I hated her guts, and the standards I held for her scraped the floor. But she was an author. She should have known better than to read what ought to have stayed unread. I wanted to be angry at her, and a part of me was. Another great deal of me blamed her for the party.

But it was slightly odd, yearning to ask her how she thought my story was coming along.

_BANG! _

Someone was pounding the door, relieving me of my thoughts. I quickly whined, shuffling myself out of bed and walking briskly towards the noise, my feet already cold from the contact with the wooden floors. It didn't escape my notice that my apartment was a mess. I had decided not to clean right after the party, considering it being around two in the morning when it finally ended. I would have to do something about it today.

_BANG!_

"I'm coming. Stop banging on the fucking door!" I shouted.

Finally, I reached for the padlock, and turned the handle, swiveling the door to reveal none other than Isabella Swan herself.

Speak of the devil, and _she _shall appear. Bella stood there, wearing tight shorts, similar to the ones I had seen her doing yoga in. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a fitted shirt.

"What the hell do you want, Swan? Come back to read more of my story? Or do you want ideas for that lame-ass excuse you call yours?" I was not much of a morning person.

She scoffed, her hands gingerly upon her hips. Isabella had attitude, that was for sure.

"Funny, Edward," she smirked, though she sounded unenthused. "No, I just came for my scarf. I think I left it here last night accidently before leaving this mess of a party." She peered around my body, examining the condition of my apartment. I attempted to briefly shield the littered floor by closing the door marginally, but it was of no use; she had seen it. Bella's smile grew wider.

She had wanted this.

I frowned, before remembering why she was here.

"You want a scarf," I clarified incredulously, earning a nod from her, "at eight o'clock in the fucking morning." This statement earned a small chuckle to escape her lips. "Couldn't you have asked later, when it would have been reasonable to do so?"

"Whatever. Can you just get me my scarf? My apartment is a little chilly, and I really want it back." I knew her long enough to know she was lying: her lips would slightly jut out, and her jaw would clench.

"Then put on some damn sweats and don't wear shorts!"

"Just get me the fucking scarf."

I scoffed, slamming the door in her face, hoping she'd take the hint and I could go back to sleep. Bella was just too much to deal with in the morning. Unfortunately, the pounding resumed upon my door, the banging even louder than before.

_Ugh!_

I pinched the bridge of my nose momentarily, giving up my resistant nature to search frantically around for a scarf. When I finally found it, lying atop my kitchen counter, folded neatly, I knew something was suspicious.

My best bet was that she, like all times growing up, was purposefully out to ruin my life. Bella always had intentions behind her actions from where I was concerned. I was pretty sure after I gave her the 'lost' article of clothing she desperately needed, I was to be bombarded with another one of her antics.

It was only a matter of time. I just knew Bella _that _well.

The pounding refused to cease, and I violently snatched the scarf from the counter, and marched back towards the door, throwing it open and shoving the accessory into her arms. How I managed to tolerate her even in the least was beyond me. I told myself it was because of Alice.

Examining the scarf slowly, Isabella's smirk returned.

_Here it comes. She's going to ask me something..._

"So..."

I was so right.

"I came to this blunt realization last night. It was after I read the small tidbit for your absolutely horrible plotline and we met Tanya," I noted the jutted lips and clenched jaw, "that you and I are constantly bickering to see whose better. Ever since we've known each other, we have pitted against one another, vying for complete dominance. But have we ever really come to a decision? You and I have just about competed for everything, and the stakes have always been minimal."

"And your point is?"

"I have a proposition. Obviously, that Tanya girl we met last night is utterly fascinated by the two of us. And throughout the years, we have always preached that one is the better writer than the other. But we have best-selling novels, and a fan base. From what I heard last night, this girl is infatuated with us equally. I say we have a bet: who can work their way to number one in this woman's book.

"That way, we can channel all our hatred to each other into actual meaningful and healthy competition. Face it, we are bound to meet often now that we're neighbors. The best we can do is _try _and not murderer the other in the silence of night."

I absorbed all that she said. She was picking a proverbial fight.

A laugh escaped my mouth.

She just didn't understand. Of all the times to pick a fight with me, Isabella had chosen the absolute worst one. Why? Because I was a professional at this. Tanya was a woman, and I am a man. It would take literally no time before I had her eating out of _my _palm, gushing over _my _books, and quite possibly, if all went well, sleeping in _my _bed.

For one night, of course.

I shook my head of these thoughts. Maybe this wasn't happening. It had, after all been an excruciatingly long and painful previous night trying to keep my house intact. Which, if I remember, stemmed from the evil mind of the witch standing in front of me. Maybe I was dreaming. Or maybe she already had some sick, cruel advantage that she couldn't wait to use on me, and get me out of the complex. Perhaps she needed incentive to call those cops again. No, I needed clarification.

"Let me get this straight," I called out, "you want me to compete with you, of all people, to see who can get into that Tanya chick's good graces first. To be the best author in her eyes. And whomever does so first, has personal bragging rights and complete control over the other?"

She nodded, her hands hanging off her hips in an impatient manner.

"Are you serious?" _Are we back in 1st grade?!_

"Why," Isabella giggled innocently, "is the 'great' Edward Masen, dare I say it, scared?" She was acting _too _innocent. She was provoking me, egging me on.

But that did it.

She was asking for a competitive can of punishment. And now I was thoroughly willing to give it to her. By the time this was done, Tanya wouldn't even remember Bella's name, and I would be crowned best author in the apartment complex.

"Fine. Deal."

We shook hands, and I couldn't help but snicker. This was going to be so easy.

"Fine. Just be prepared to lose. To me. Again."

"Stop talking to yourself, Edward. It's not healthy," she quipped, a smirk playing upon her lips. I laughed without humor in my voice.

A steady silence permeated in the atmosphere.

"Isabella?"

"Don't call me that."

"Can you leave? I'm tired as fuck. You got your scarf back." I didn't even let her finish her sentence, before I slammed the door in her face, content that she was gone and that I could finally sleep a little more.

I padded sleepily towards the comfort of my bed. But not before calling Jasper to have lunch. I would need help if I was to defeat Bella.

* * *

I tapped my fingers nervously against the little wooden table. Jasper's eyes made their way from my fingers, to me, and back to my fingers again. He was getting impatient, and I knew that, but I was kind of nervous about telling him. As long as I could remember, Jasper had been neutral in the whole Edward versus Bella thing. An honest Switzerland. But I was afraid he would tell Alice, and she would help Bella.

Not that Bella hadn't already probably told Alice, but there was always that small chance.

I huffed and switched hands, placing the other one under my chin.

"So are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Jasper said, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Yes," I said, with no further explanation.

He raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"I need your help," I blurted. I slapped a hand over my mouth. I hadn't wanted to tell him yet. I wanted to ease him into it. But, alas, my big mouth couldn't keep itself shut.

I didn't need to tell him what it was about. He automatically knew it was about Bella and me. "What with?" he asked, his voice lowering slightly so no one could overhear.

"There's this woman, Tanya, who's one of Bella's biggest fans. She showed up at Bella's front door the other day, just for shits and giggles, and it turns out she's a pretty big fan of mine as well, like I told you earlier. So basically, we're competing for this woman's affection, right? Unfortunately, I think Bella has a better chance at winning. And I don't know how to beat her."

Jasper sighed. "You know I hate this thing between you two." I nodded. "And I refuse to take sides," he said.

"I know, I know," I told him. "But I really need your help. I don't know what I should do to make her realize that _I'm_ the better of the two of us. It's the perfect opportunity to beat her. The last time I did that was freshman year in college, when she lost at beer pong. _And _that was technically on a fluke." I carefully sipped my coffee, careful not to burn my tongue again in the process. "This is one fight she's not going to win. I'm certain of it. Bella will be sorry she ever even proposed it."

A waitress ambled towards our table, a flirtatious grin spread across her face, and gently set down another steaming mug before us. I eyed the cup and looked at her, confused.

"Uhm, miss? We didn't order anymore drinks."

She giggled. "I know. The other waitresses and I made some more for you. We like giving handsome guys free coffee. It guarantees they'll come back." She winked and strutted away, followed by several other ladies working customer orders, who smiled appreciatively our way as well.

Jasper chuckled. We were being hit on in a café.

I had discovered this quaint little place while exploring this part of the city. It was cozy and warm. It was filled with cute baristas just jumping on the chance the raise their tips a little and flirt their way into our good graces. Quiet jazz music floated through the corner speakers. I even came here once to write; it was a nice place to relax. The brown walls darkened the room, and small lights gave the atmosphere a private and soft vibe.

"I like this place," Jasper murmured. I met his eyes, hoping that it was because of the coffee and not the women. He was, after all, with my sister. Jas seemed to understand, and immediately mentioned his favor for the chairs, making me laugh.

"Anyway, now that you know the backdrop, help me with some schemes. I need to win."

"You could always sleep with her, if things don't start going your way," Jasper sarcastically mentioned.

"That'll be a last resort," I answered, chuckling. "I was really just thinking of—" I cut off as the bell attached to the front door of the restaurant chimed and two familiar voices laughed their way inside.

I ducked down in my seat, hoping Bella and Tanya wouldn't notice me here.

"What are you—"

"Shh," I said, cutting Jasper off. "I can't let them see me."

"Well they're sitting like two tables behind you," he said.

I cursed under my breath. "Does Bella see you?"

He shook his head. "No, her back is to me."

"Good, now shh."

He quieted down, the strange look on his face clearly wondering what the hell I was up to, but I didn't care. I had to listen in and hear what tactics she was using to get into Tanya's head. I had to know what she was doing so I could know what to do to trump her. She. Wouldn't. Win. I would. She practically _owed_ me this win.

I listened as the girls giggled quietly. "So, Bella," Tanya started as what sounded like a coffee mug was set down on the table. "What's your next book going to be about?"

"Ah," Bella said, "I don't know if I should disclose that here. I'm a little paranoid. But when we get back to the house, for sure."

"Thank you so much for inviting me. I know my friends won't believe me when I go home and tell them I had lunch with _the_ Isabella Swan, author of the best romance novels out there. And to top it all off, you live next to Edward Masen." I smirked when she mentioned my name. "Oh my god, Bella, how can you not drool every time you look at that? I mean he's so… _hot_," Tanya said.

I could feel the smug look come across my face.

"I guess," Bella said. "Ever since we were kids, Edward's always been blessed with looks. It's not fair, you know?" She laughed quietly. "Some people get all the luck."

"Wait," Tanya said. "You've known Edward for _how _long?"

I could practically hear Bella's shrug. "Since I was about four, I guess. We were neighbors. Grew up together. His sister's still my best friend."

"That is so cool," Tanya said, the awe apparent in her voice. "So are you guys like, best friends, too? Oh my god I never would have imagined something like that. It's so crazy that my two favorite authors have known each other for so long. That must be why you guys are both such great writers. Did you guys both go to the same college?"

Bella let out a sigh, and I knew she was remembering our college days. "Yeah," she said shortly. But surprisingly, she didn't carry a mean tone. "We did. Actually, we had almost every single class together. Consequently our writing styles are similar, which is why we're so closely matched in our awards and such for our writing."

"I guess that makes sense," Tanya said. But if she was about to say something else, it was cut off by their waitress coming over to their table and taking their order.

"She's being… civil," I said, unable to keep the amazement from my voice. "About _me_ of all people. I don't think I've ever heard her speak so civilly about me."

Jasper sighed and picked at his lunch, which had arrived while I was eavesdropping on the girls. "Just because she's mean to your face doesn't mean she doesn't respect you ever. Can't she acknowledge the fact that you've had to go through just as much as she did to get to where you are now? I think that makes sense."

Well that didn't make sense. But before I had time to wonder about it, I noticed their waitress pass our table on the way back to the kitchen, so I started listening back into their conversation.

"Tell me stories about Edward," Tanya said, "What was he like as a kid? Was he always so hunky?"

"Who says 'hunky' anymore?" Jasper whispered, stifling a laugh. "The 1980s called. They want their lingo back."

Bella chuckled. "Yes, he's always been a bit of a ladies' man. I can't even tell you the number of girls that tried to befriend Alice—his sister—and me just so they could try and get a sneak peek at him in the shower. It was gross. Though, there was this one time I'm pretty sure all the girls stopped liking him. We were like twelve, and when we were all gathering our things to leave from school, he dropped his backpack." She stopped for suspense, and I knew what was coming. I buried my face in my hands. This wasn't fair. I couldn't defend myself.

"And out fell his 'Banky,' as he called it, since he couldn't pronounce his 'L's until the beginning of high school, and a pile of Britney Spears and Spice Girls CDs. He was the laughing stock of the school for three weeks. To this day, I think Alice still calls him Banky Boy." The girls laughed and I wanted to punch a wall.

Bella had put Banky and those CDs in there that day before I had left to school, wanting to embarrass me. _She_ was the one who dropped my backpack, _on purpose_, to get everyone to laugh at me. Which wasn't fair, because I only slept with Banky at night, and those CDs were hers, not mine.

"And yet, the girls still fell all over him," Bella said.

"Oh, come on," Tanya said, "Girl to girl, you can't tell me you never had a thing for Edward Masen. I mean, growing up with that piece of man meat? There's not a chance in hell that I wouldn't secretly crave his presence around me all the time." She gasped, as if she realized something major. "He wasn't the inspiration behind Jared Kingsley in _Fit for a Kingsley_, was he? Oh, how scandalous!"

"No, no, no," Bella said with a laugh, "You've got it all wrong. First of all, no one inspired Jared Kingsley except for my secret fantasy man who I happened to fall in love with as a character. Second, I never liked Edward Masen. You come to realize that people aren't all they're cracked up to be when you spend a lot of time with them," she said with a laugh. "Don't worry, he's all yours."

"Darlin', you don't know what you're giving up," Tanya said. "I'd give up my husband in a heartbeat if Edward told me that he'd love to take me back to his place for a _Midnight Rendezvous_. I must say, Bella, I think _Midnight Rendezvous_ is my favorite of yours. That Walter Shenson was simply delicious." She sighed dramatically, and I could practically see her eyes fluttering as she put a hand to her heart. "What I wouldn't give to be Marissa Henry for a day."

_It was perfect_, I thought to myself as my mind concocted this foolproof plan.

"Jasper," I said as I dug through my wallet for a few bills. "Thanks for meeting with me, but I've got to go before the girls get home."

His eyes narrowed as he gave me a wary glance. "What do you have up your sleeve, Masen?"

My face twisted into a crooked smile. "I've got just enough time to transform myself into Tanya's fantasy. And the second I sleep with her, I've won. There's no way Bella can top that. Thanks, man."

"You know I was kidding earlier, right?"

"Later, Jasper," I said as I threw down a fifty and charged out of the café.

* * *

Even though I had showered that morning, I needed to take another one. Except this time when I stepped out of the shower, I made sure not to dry my chest, threw on my lowest pair of jeans—sans underwear—and made my way over to the apartment next door. I shook my hair out and pressed my ear to the door to make sure they were both still in there. There was no way I would embarrass myself in front of just Bella, but it wouldn't _technically_ be embarrassing myself if I was gaining ground in the bet. Right?

I raised my hand to the door, but before I could knock a door opened from behind me, and someone wolf whistled. I closed my eyes in mortification. _Damn it, Craig._

"Are you going over to Bella's room? You know she had this smoking hot girl over there earlier." I looked over my shoulder at him just as he started to look shocked. "Oh, man, you're totally about to get some, aren't you? Can I join? I've always wanted to do a foursome. Threesomes are fun, but it's always weird with one gender having twice as many people as the other. I'd like it to be equal, you know?"

"Craig," I said. "Just leave."

"Yes, sir." He started whistling a tune to himself as he made his way down the stairs on the far side of the hall.

A breath blew through my lips as I knocked twice on the door and leaned sexily against the doorjamb.

When Bella opened the door, her jaw dropped. "Cheater," she mumbled under her breath so Tanya, who was standing just behind her shoulder, couldn't hear.

"Jealous," I whispered back just as quietly. Louder now, I smiled at Tanya. "Oh, hi, Tanya. I didn't know you would be here still."

Bella scoffed. I chose to ignore it.

"I was just looking to bake some of my famous homemade lasagna, and I realized I had no flower or eggs to make the pasta. Help a neighbor out?" I asked innocently. In all honesty, I had no idea how to make lasagna when it was already in the pan and just needed to be heated up. And Bella didn't know that my cooking skills hadn't vastly improved since I burned cereal and almost set the house on fire back in seventh grade.

I consciously flexed my abs and watched as Tanya's eyes grew wide and she drew her lip into her mouth and bit down. I couldn't help the smirk on my face. I'd never thought about using my body as a tool. But I must say, it was working magnificently.

"Bella?" I asked again. "Flour and eggs?"

She rolled her eyes and made her way into the kitchen.

"So Tanya," I said.

"Edward." She took a few steps forward so we were closer.

"You know," I said, "You really should be hanging out with me over at my place." I ran the back of my finger down the side of her arm and she shivered. "You could help me _unpack boxes_ and finish _moving in_," I said, my voice laced with sexual innuendo. "Maybe you could even help me _cook_. I especially need help with the _wet _ingredients."

I could visibly see her breaths get heavier as she struggled to maintain eye contact with me. Her eyes kept drifting to my toned arms, or my ripped abs, or that lovely 'V' with the thin trail of hair down the middle that practically made an arrow to the boys. I made sure I glued my eyes to hers, though, whenever she did look my way.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly.

I opened my mouth to speak again, but was cut off when Bella rounded the corner with a measuring cup full of flower and an egg carton. She shoved them into my hands. "There," she said. Then she turned to Tanya. "I think we should get back to that new character I was telling you about. You know, the one I was thinking about naming after you?"

_Oh, that was low._ Naming a character after her? That was a pretty fucking big deal. She _knew_ I wouldn't create a character based of this woman. Tanya had no depth. My characters did. I tried to lure her back onto the line I had her on before.

"My offer still stands, Tanya," I said, my voice as low and husky as I could manage without sounding retarted.

She shook her head, as if ridding herself from a trance. "I'm alright for now," she said. "I wanted to finish talking with Bella about her new book and this lovely new character by the name of Tanya," she said, and the two girls burst into giggles as if they had been best friends forever. Immediately, I wished I had a sweatshirt or something to cover up my glistening chest. Because it seemed they had forgotten about the sexy, shirtless man at their door.

"Thanks for the flour and eggs," I said.

"Bye, Eddie," Bella said, knowing how that name irked me.

I smirked at her. "Bye, Isabella."

The door shut and I sighed. Well what was I going to do with the flour and eggs now?

As if I had said it out loud, Craig bounded up the stairs with a grocery bag in his hand, still whistling the tune he was when he left the hallway earlier. "Well," he said. "I see we've made much progress since my last visit here. What's with the eggs and flour?"

I sighed and held it out to him. "Want it? I don't need it."

"Sure, man. Good thing, too, because I had left my groceries in the car," he lifted up the bag in his hand, "after I went shopping yesterday, and I'm pretty sure my eggs went bad. They smell kind of weird," he said with a sniff into the bag. His nose crinkled and he waved a hand in front of it. He took the eggs and flour from my hand with a broad grin.

"I'm making cake tonight," he said with a loud yelp before he sort-of skipped back into his room.

I shook my head. This was the weirdest apartment building.

* * *

**A/N:** **[Allie] **Ah, I love Craig. He's probably my favorite character in this whole story right now. Haha. 5 extra credit points to anyone who can tell me who Walter Shenson is (without googling it, because one look at google will tell you exactly why his name was found on my wall.) He wasn't just a character in one of Bella's romance novels. I actually looked up on some of the posters in my room for quick name inspiration and saw it and was like… YES. Haha. It just sounds so… sexy and sophisticated, yeah? Mmm. _Walter Shenson_. Haha. Totally kidding. I haven't even ever seen a picture of him. Chances are he was an ugly old man. Oh, and PS. Who wouldn't love a dripping wet, half-naked Edward showing up on their doorstep? Hah. I told Ben earlier: if that happened to me, I'd say okay to the flour and eggs, but he'd have to pay me in sex first. Haha. Yumm, Edward.  
**[Ben]****: **Don't you just love Craig? Such a lovely character. We hope you liked it! We did. There's not much to say. Just REVIEW because an intentionally dripping Edward will be at your door*, asking for some flour and eggs if you do. And you also get a preview for the next chapter (which is also in EPOV). So what are you waiting for? Review, already! It's a win-win situation!

*while supplies last. Shipping and handling not included.

Haha... okay. I'm done.

_Until next week,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	8. The Big Gun

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** I was rather disappointed in your lack of knowledge of who Walter Shenson was. Come on, guys. It's me we're talking about here; it obviously has something to do with the Beatles, _and_ I said I had never seen him before. He produced "A Hard Day's Night." If you haven't seen it, Google it. You can watch it for free. It's my favorite Beatles movie. :)

**[Ben] **Hola! Thank you for the reviews concerning last chapter. We're deeply sorry if you did not receive the half-naked Edward like we promised; there was only a limited supply, and we could not give everyone that pleasure. But on the upside: There'll be more things similar to that fantasy in future chapters. Here's chapter 7! Due to some weird glitch in fanfiction over the weekend, we were unable to post TE until today, so that's also up!

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 7:** The Big Gun

'Gym Saturdays' was a tradition for Emmett and me ever since I could remember lifting up weights. Even in college, since Emmett attended the University of Washington, the two of us were able to continue the established practice. It was a time where, regardless of the life around us, we could always rely on to just clear our clouded minds of everything unworthy, and simply focus on the two hours of working reps. Gym Saturdays, like the name suggests, occurred every Saturday of each week, and in that span of time Emmett and I could open up to the problems around us and just talk, whether they be life-threatening, or simply to discuss the outcome of Monday night's football game. These were two hours where we reminded each other of our brotherhood.

On Gym Saturdays, Emmett and I tended to gossip like Suburban housewives. However, none of us could quite admit the slight femininity that had managed to seep it's way into our conversations in recent years—Rosalie certainly created a lasting effect on my older brother. Instead, we simply added more weights to our lifting regiments, purposely welcomed the stench of manly sweat, and increased the speed on our treadmills, feigning complete and utter ignorance.

Lately, however, Emmett and I had only been able to see each other on these occasions. My books had become my main priority, and the recent move to another part of the city had taken up a majority of my free time. Emmett was occupied in his new construction firm, as well as the ever-daunting task of maintaining a marriage with Rosalie Hale. Because of these busy turn of events, I was more than excited when Saturday reared its head, beckoning me to grab my sports bag and eagerly head out to greet my favorite (well...only) brother.

I found him benching a hefty load, and immediately took my position behind his head, synchronizing my arms with his in case the weight was too heavy. Neither of us tended to speak at the beginning anymore. Our talks were never forced with introductions, and it had become common knowledge that silence was customary during our workouts. We would talk whenever the time preceded itself, or whenever either one of us had something on their minds.

After about ten more minutes of spotting, I changed the weights and we switched positions.

"How's the life been, bro? I haven't talked to you much," Emmett asked honestly, effectively breaking the comfortable silence.

"It's been hectic. Aside from writing my new novel, I'm promoting my recent publication. And when I'm not doing that, I'm talking to my new publishing company about future works. That's really all it's been lately: work, work, and more work." It wasn't completely true; I still had my apartment, where life seemed to revolve around Bella and Tanya as of late, but I didn't really feel like telling him just yet about my betting escapades with Bella. If he knew, it would only be a matter of time before his lips would loosen and Rosalie would know. _Not that she probably doesn't know already. _But I couldn't afford a loss of resource, which Emmett, though sometimes dim-witted, provided as another set of options for the possible ways of seduction and flirtation used to win. And since I didn't have Jasper, I needed my older brother. Telling him would have to wait. Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I quickly revived conversation in hopes that my stalled silence would incline any suspicion.

"So did you get my newest book that I mailed to you?"

"Yeah, man! I'm liking this novel's cover. It's much more vibrant than the other ones. Those have always been so dark. I've felt like was in some kind of depressed cesspool whenever I looked at those." I frowned at his honesty. Catching my expression, Emmett quietly chuckled, adding "No offense" to soothe my features.

"Well, that makes sense, considering the end. How did you like it? Was it suspenseful?" I personally reveled in my readers' reactions to my story, as would any author. My internal excitement slightly amplified in knowing my own brother's opinion. I hoped he enjoyed it. Better yet, I hoped he was as excited as I currently was.

"Sure."

_Sure? _That's all?

"What do you mean by 'sure'?" I asked, slightly cross. _One word?! He said more words about the cover than the story!_

I had stopped lifting weights at this moment, staring incredulously at his bulky figure. His usually confident form managed to waver under my glare at his less than acceptable answer.

"Well—yeah. I mean, i-it was definitely surprising! The ending had me on edge the whole time." His answer sounded forced, if not poorly rehearsed. "Umm... I thought you'd know that already."

A small pout formed as he jutted out his bottom lip, his eyes widened, and the curvature of his mouth revealed his noticeable dimples. Had I not been his brother, idolized him as a child, and hung around him my entire life, I would have been appeased and fooled. But his face just reminded me how entirely forced his answer was. Emmett was too easy to read, and his 'innocent and cute' face didn't work on me anymore.

"Em... did you even read my book?"

He scoffed. "Of course." I sensed enough hesitation in his voice to continue on.

"Oh really? Emmett, what's the title of my book?"

"_Daydreamer,_" he replied immediately with a curt nod of the head, looking confident.

"Can you tell me the characters' names?"

Emmett's pouty face faltered, and I knew I caught him. "Well—Uh..." His eyes began to madly search around the gym. "There's-Um, Maria Bowflex, and well—um, Jonathan Abdominals..."

I grew both impatient and humorously entertained. "You didn't read my novel, did you?"

He sighed in defeat. "No, sorry! I was totally meaning to, no joke! But when I opened the mailbox, there was both your book and my weekly subscription of _Car and Driver. _I couldn't resist: I picked up the cover with the shiny Corvette displayed on the front. Sorry!

"But honestly, can you blame me? You know me well enough that I don't enjoy reading anything with well above 200 pages of text. It's like telling a bear it can't shit in the woods. It's impossible!"

I tried to not ask about the odd analogy, and spoke up.

"I guess. It's not like I expected you to anyway. It was more just a gesture. I forgive you." I could hardly see my brother adding my novel into the repertoire of his 'literary readings.' That list included books by Doctor Seuss and J.K. Rowling. Oh, and _Car and Driver_.

"I'll try reading it," he added sincerely. "Besides, I've heard that it gotten great reviews." His eyes sparkled and I knew he was trying to cheer me up.

"Thanks," I chuckled.

"Don't mention it. Now, can we get back to the weights? Your sappy behavior is butting into my 'macho-muscle' time."

We continued our workout on the machines for a while longer, immersed in moments of silence and easy banter. Eventually, the two of us made our way over to the treadmills near the water fountain, and set our speeds for a jog. It did not escape my notice that there were some lovely looking ladies staring at me. Some were even wearing _lovely_, revealing gym attire.

Throughout our run, Emmett and I talked very little, absorbed in our own thoughts.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, my entire shirt was damp with sweat, sticking to my arms and chest, and my face was filmed with perspiration. I probably smelled slightly musky. But the overall workout of this Gym Saturday felt incredibly refreshing, and my body seemed ready for action.

Stopping the treadmill, I grabbed the towel I had brought with me, and patted my cheeks and neck. "Well, Em, the workout was great. I think I'm going to head out though; it's been almost two and a half hours already." I snatched my bag off the ground and walked to the nearby fountain for a cool drink.

"See you later," shouted Emmett.

Finished, I looked up, suddenly curious.

"Em, how long have you been here? I mean, you were already here when I arrived."

"Oh, not very long."

I snorted, frustrated that it always took extra effort to retrieve the whole story from him.

"How long, Emmett?"

"Like four of five hours."

"Holy shit! Why have you been here for so long? You're going to tire out those muscles if you don't stop."

"Well, that's good then. I'll be too exhausted," he exclaimed, his face brightening significantly at this realization.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I asked him why he was so happy.

"Umm... Well, uh... Rose is...," he managed to mumble the last part quietly, though I was still close enough to hear him.

"Spit it out!" A large, sweaty hand clamped over my mouth to restrict me from shouting anything else out loud, earning quizzical stares from other gym participants.

"Shhh! Dude!" he waited until I had hushed before slowly removing his hand from my face. I hastily used the back of my arm to wipe away the remnants of Au de Emmett off my face before intently listening, a devious grin plastered on my face.

"Okay. I can explain. It's really not what you think; Rosie and I are not in a fight, I'm not sleeping on the couch, I didn't call her fat, and I remembered the coaster on the coffee table. Rose is... well, ovulating," my jaw dropped and I quickly picked it up off the floor, letting him continue.

"Well, you know Rose, man! Ever since we got married, she's been so pushy about putting me into shape as a husband, and I've diligently done that! But a couple of weeks ago, we were walking down the street to a coffeehouse when Rosie spots two little boys, toddlers, hand in hand with their mother. Like any chick, she 'oohs' and 'ahhs,' and I paid no attention to it.

"But lately, she's been baby crazy! Rosie cannot stop talking about children; about when we should have them, what rooms in the apartment they can have, their names. She even talked about baby proofing the apartment, Edward," he shook me with his hands on my shoulders. "We don't even have children yet, and she wants to install a toilet lock! Even _I _don't know how to use a toilet lock!

"She's been planning her ovulation periods. Rosie has a calendar and everything. It's all tacked onto our fridge! I can't even get a beer without noticing those cute little 'X's' over each day like she's marking them down until the big day." Emmett's eyes suddenly grew frantic and his face registered panic. I didn't know whether or not to cry for the man, or laugh in his face.

"And guess what, bro? Today's the big day! It's the first day she ovulates. And," he gulped, "I'm scared to go home." His last statement consisted of merely a hushed whisper, and I couldn't help but chuckle, earning a disapproving frown from him.

"Have you talked to her about this?"

"I did... once. It was such a mistake, Eddie. She blew up at me, calling me a coward for being afraid of her, and accusing me of not wanting children. I do want children, I do! I just don't want to be threatened to be tied to a door handle naked so she can have her way with me. It's scary. I feel like-like I need to sleep with one eye open."

I laughed, ignoring his choice nickname for me.

"She actually threatened you with that?"

He nodded grimly.

"Wow. I am shocked. Emmett Masen is not only denying sex, but he is afraid of it. I am in awe." I chuckled, and a fist made contact with my shoulder. _I guess I deserve that._

"Whatever, Ed. Thanks for the support," his tone dripped heavily with sarcasm. Oddly, his face peaked slightly, and he looked me directly in the eye.

"At least I didn't make some stupid bet with Bella about a _certain _fan. And trust me, if I know Bells, which I do, she's going to find a way to kick your sorry, unsupportive ass. And even if I do become hog-tied, in the end, I still get some." His last statement, was, once again, forced and agitated.

He knew! I'm so royally fucked. She has all the advantage now; she's cut off my resources. My best men.

I should have expected as much. Bella would have already told Rosalie and Alice; that much was customary amongst girls. It turned out that I had no one on my side after all. Just me, myself, and I. I had to play it cool. I couldn't let him get to me.

"I don't have time to talk to a guy who is afraid to bite the bullet that comes with marriage," I quipped. "I have to go, Em. I'll see you later." I turned around, entering the locker rooms to exit the gym.

I really did have to go; I felt kind of disgusting.

Not because I felt overly sweaty.

But because I was royally fucked. And had a crown to prove it.

* * *

I made my way onto my deck for some peace and quiet after I got home and took a shower—or, as peacefully quiet as it could be watching over the city of Seattle. But, naturally, Bella was out on hers with Tanya, sipping tea.

My lip twitched as I watched and heard the two girls laughing on Bella's deck. It was clear: I was going to lose this one. Anger rose up in my chest. I couldn't lose; she won the last one. I would never ever live it down if she won two in a row.

I ran a hand through my still-wet hair and threw my feet up on the table, crossing my arms over my chest. I hoped the small wall between our decks would shield me, even though I knew she knew I was already there. That was most likely why she was playing up their relationship like they were best friends.

"Edward," someone called. It sounded like Tanya.

I lifted my head from where it was sulking on the back of the chair and raised it so I could see over the wall. "Yes?" I asked in my most sickeningly sweet voice. I had a feeling, at the end of this, I would have very little dignity.

"Come over and join us," she said, giggling.

I glanced over at Bella, who was shooting Tanya a terrifying glare. But Tanya didn't notice.

Perfect, I thought with a smile as I stood up and, looking to create an impression, swung over the wall separating the decks so I was on theirs.

"Hello, ladies," I said, sitting down in the chair between them and throwing an arm around the back of Tanya's chair. "How are we today?" I watched as Tanya's eyes traveled down from my chest to my legs, and a frown tugged the corner of her lips. "What's wrong, darling?" I asked, tightening my arm around her to get her attention back to this world.

"Nothing," she said, a little too quickly. "You're just… wearing more clothes than I'm used to."

I laughed as I stole a look at Bella. She was scowling. "What, do you want me to take off my shirt?" I asked Tanya.

A slight tinge rose to her cheeks. "You're fine… I mean, _I'm_ fine, thanks."

I chuckled. "So what're you two up to today? Mischievous things and no good, I presume?"

"Girl stuff," Bella snapped, doing her best to make it clear that I was not wanted hear without blatantly telling me to leave in front of Tanya. "Shopping and stuff, you know. You wouldn't be interested, I'm afraid. We're just going to have a girl's day before Tanya has to leave tomorrow, you know?"

"Shopping sounds great," I said, staring Bella down. I had to let her know that I wasn't going to give up this easily. I _would_ win. And she would have to suffer the consequences.

"Oh, you want to come, Edward? It would be so much fun! We could even buy you a few outfits if you're a good boy," she purred.

I cocked an eyebrow in her direction. "Classify...," I paused dramatically, "_Good boy_." I could practically see her melt beneath my blistering stare. This would be much easier than I thought. Maybe she was just having an off day yesterday when she turned me down. I'd have a better chance today, now that her hormones were in balance. I couldn't help the wicked grin that crossed my face.

"Mmm," she hummed, flirting back. "We'll just have to see now, won't we?"

Bella made a gagging noise from the side, tearing us from our own little world. "Gross," she said. "Anyway, Edward, we've got to get going. Shopping calls."

I narrowed my eyes at her. She _loathed_ shopping. You didn't have to like Bella to know that. In fact, when I'd been especially angry at her back in the days, I had made Alice take her shopping—well, not that you ever had to _make_ Alice shop, but the intention was still there. She was honestly putting up with shopping just to win this? I let out a sigh. She was pretty determined.

"Alright," I said, standing up slowly, "I get when I'm not wanted." I purposefully let out a dramatic, longing sigh and glanced back at Tanya with big eyes, waiting for her to tell me to stay.

She didn't say anything for a minute, so I walked slowly into Bella's apartment. I reached the door when I heard it.

"Edward, wait!" Tanya shouted. "Wait. Why don't you join us?"

Tanya probably wouldn't have noticed it, as she was too wrapped up in what was going on with me, but I heard Bella's low growl from the deck. _Perfect_.

"I'd _love_ to, Tanya," I said with over exaggerated enthusiasm, just to piss off Bella.

* * *

And that's how I ended up here, with roughly thirty bags in my arms. None of which were mine.

_And_ I was in Victoria's Secret, being forced to sit on one of the overly-pink and fluffy chairs while Bella and Tanya sifted through piles upon piles of bras and panties. On a normal day, I'd be all for helping a girl pick out their undergarments. But it was Bella, and therefore my libido was squashed. As was my pride, consequently.

"Eddie," Tanya giggled from the dressing room, using her new nickname for me. I had corrected her twice already, but she obviously didn't care. At this point, I wasn't sure if it was all worth it. But I was Edward Masen, damn it, and I didn't give up. Especially when it came to Bella Swan.

I had to bite back a growl as I turned around and smiled at her. "Yes, Tanya?"

The door to her dressing room rattled and the next second she stepped out wearing a tiny little black corset with a set of lacy boy shorts. My eyebrows immediately shot to my hairline, as did another part of my anatomy. I don't care who you are, _any_ man would get turned on upon seeing that. I immediately crossed my legs before anyone—namely Bella, who was only a few feet away looking at I-didn't-want-to-know-what.

"Do you like this?"

Aw, hell. How was a man supposed to respond to that question?

"Uhh…," my mind scrambled to think of something coherent to say. "Yeah," I said. "Wow." I was pretty sure I sounded like I just had the wind knocked out of me, but it didn't matter. Tanya looked hot.

She giggled and walked over to me, spinning in a full circle so I could get the 360 degree view. Which was just as hot as the first 180 degrees I had seen. "You think I should get it?" She bit her lip, pretending to be troubled.

"Definitely," I rasped. I was vaguely aware of Bella scoffing in the background, but I could hardly hear anything through the sound of my dick throbbing in my ears.

"I think I'll get it, then." With that, she turned around and pranced back into her little dressing room to change. She _had_ to know the effect she had on me. Hell, I wouldn't be able to stand for the next ten minutes—at least—and she had me gaping. I wasn't sure how much more of this Tanya I was going to be able to handle after that little show. Whenever I saw her now, all I would see would be that hot little corset and those tiny little shorts.

I groaned, closing my eyes and resting my head against the back of the chair.

_Grandma in a bikini, grandma in a bikini, grandma in a bikini…_

Slowly but surely, Little Edward went back to his resting place and I was able to stand up. By then, the girls were calling me from the register, telling me if I didn't hurry up that they would leave without me. So I jogged over to the door with all of their bags—which they both promptly added one more to each arm—and the three of us continued on.

"Where to next?" Bella asked Tanya, obviously not caring about my opinion in the matter.

"I don't know," she wondered, "How about we ask Eddie? He's been so good and quiet about our shopping today. I think the least we could to for him would be to let him choose the next place, don't you think?"

They turned to me, waiting for my answer. "Anyone up for ice cream? My treat."

Bella and Tanya's smile both grew exponentially, as I knew all girls' do at the mention of anything sweet or chocolate. Before I knew what was happening, they were in the closest ice cream shop, ordering waffle cones and sprinkles.

I ordered and paid, and then met them at the table they had sat down at. The conversation was light, and for the first time in a long time, Bella and I were able to have a conversation without biting each other's heads off. I idly wondered if it was just a ploy for her, and as soon as Tanya was gone we'd be back to normal.

But I was immediately distracted as I looked up at Tanya, who was licking at her spoon in such a way that it should have been illegal. She was practically assaulting the thing, and staring straight into my eyes. Now if that wasn't a hint, I don't know what was. She drew the spoon into her mouth until she had almost the entire handle in as well before slowly drawing it out and flicking the tip with her tongue.

_Damn it,_ I thought to myself as I shifted in my seat and did what I could to look away. She's killing me right now. Really, she is. I focused all of my attention to my cookie dough ice cream and took another bite, letting the cold cream make its way down my esophagus.

Tanya cleared her throat as if to get my attention. I looked up through my lashes, not knowing if I could stomach seeing her deep throat a fucking spoon again. Thankfully, she didn't. She just smiled and turned to Bella. "I think it's time we go home," she said. "I'm getting tired, and I should probably head back to the hotel and start packing."

The two girls stood up and gathered their purses before heading to the door. When they realized I hadn't followed, Tanya turned to me with a wicked smile on her face. "Are you coming?" she asked.

_Almost_, I thought. I managed a nod and picked up the bags, holding them in front of me as we made our way back to my car.

* * *

My fingers were flying furiously at my keyboard. I was on a serious roll. At this rate, I'd be finished with this book within the month.

But a knock resounded on the door, tearing me from the warm spot in my writing chair. I sighed, frustrated, and seriously debated whether to answer it or not. But there was a good chance it was important, so I set down the laptop and I bounded anxiously towards the door. I wouldn't be able to face a smug and seemingly victorious Bella at this hour. I hoped she would have the decency to wait until tomorrow for that.

When I opened the door, it was not who I expected.

"Craig," I said flatly.

"Edward!" he exclaimed.

"What're you doing here?"

"Nothing, really," he said. My brows furrowed. Then why was he here? "I just wanted to thank you for the flour and eggs yesterday, return your measuring cup, and bring by a few of the delicious cupcakes I made with them."

It was then I noticed the small Tupperware in his hand and Bella's measuring cup. When he held them out, I took them, a little unsure about how I felt about this all. It felt awfully… feminine to receive cupcakes from a neighbor. "Is there anything else you need, Craig?"

"Nope!"

"Alright. Thanks for the cupcakes?" I said, unsure as to what I was supposed to say in this situation to make him go away.

"Anytime, bro!"

And with that, he skipped off. Laughing and shaking my head, I shut the door and made my way to the kitchen, setting down the Tupperware and pulling one cupcake out. When I bit into it, I was surprised at how good it was. Craig should be a cook.

A knock sounded again and I set the cupcake down gently. If it was Craig again, there would be a good chance I would be smacking him. He seemed to be _everywhere_. All the time. I don't know how Bella put up with him after all these years.

Being careful, I looked through the eyepiece suspiciously.

I opened the door.

Strawberry blonde hair was the first thing I saw. Next I saw Tanya's face, overly puffed out chest, and shiny legs. She was biting her bottom lip, and had seemed to make an unintentional habit of wringing her hands together self-consciously.

"Hi."

"Hello."

Maybe there was hope left after all.

This was it. My moment to shine. In one clever and suave swoop, I could spin the competition right on its axis, and turn the favor around. Time to do what I did better than Bella. Sure, she could provide a character. She could pretend to enjoy shopping and tend to other womanly interests. But she knew not the level of mastery I had in the act of flirtation.

I leaned against the doorway in what I could only describe as the most seductive pose I could strike at an impromptu moment. Looking up from my eyelashes, and sticking out my chest, I made a motion to rub my free hand through my hair, trailing down my neck and down towards my stomach.

I was going to serve myself to her on a silver platter. Naked.

Her mouth parted.

It was the most opportune moment to strike. I might not be wet and shirtless, but I was still hopeful. Still confident. And she was still standing there.

"Would you like to come in?"

All she managed was a small nod, before stumbling through my apartment in her unnaturally high heels.

I could do this.

It's time to roll out the big guns. Or rather, the Big Gun.

I closed the door behind me.

* * *

**A/N: **We know there was a couple of you that didn't want them to sleep together, but it's what was planned from the beginning. And it was what we felt had to happen, in order for the story to take the correct amount of turns before we get to the real meat of the plot. Anyway, she leaves in the beginning of the next chapter, so no worries, love. :)

**(Ben) **I hope you like this chapter! It was incredibly entertaining to write. Edward seems to have no shame, and this bet that the two have proliferated has almost taken a life of its own, or rather, naturally followed the path that their own relationship has been in this chapter. Sporadic. Extreme. And many other adjectives. It was a great experience to finally write something with Emmett; he has been majorly neglected in our other stories as well.

REVIEW because it could very well be the only thing that saves Edward from Tanya! We'll supply a preview for the next chapter as well!

_Until next week,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	9. Failed Attempts

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Here yah go. I was up late finishing this, so you better appreciate it. :) Haha. Woo! We hit 100 reviews! You guys are awesome. Seriously, keep it up. We love you!

Sorry if you find some errors—this hasn't been edited yet. It'll be updated sometime this afternoon if you guys are interested. So check back later tonight if you just can't get enough Cursed. :D

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 8:** Failed Attempts

_12 years ago_

Bella Swan loved middle school.

She would never admit it out loud, but she did. She loved all the different classes and all the different teachers—everything. To be honest, she always felt a little suffocated when all throughout elementary school. It was too much time with one teacher, with too many kids in one little classroom.

It was just too much.

But she couldn't wait to get to school every morning when she woke up. And that included this morning. She threw her backpack over her shoulder and glanced in the mirror once last time before she left. Her hair was finally growing out after a bad haircut by her mother. It had been choppy and up to her shoulders, but finally it was down to the middle of her shoulder blades.

If only she could get it to cooperate, she thought as she absently ran a hand over her haystack of brown locks. She sighed, frustrated, and debated whether to throw it all into a ponytail, but the call of her mother made her stop.

"Bella!" Renee called from her place at the table with Edward's mother, Elizabeth. "Are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, Mom! I'll be right down!" she shouted back, ultimately deciding that a ponytail wasn't worth the effort today. She bounded down the stairs, skipping the last step to the landing. She stopped halfway down the stairs when the voices of her mother and Renee rang up from the kitchen.

"Oh, I know," Elizabeth was saying. "I totally agree."

Bella was silent, not wanting them to hear her eavesdropping.

"I just can't wait until they grow up and out of this little feud they seem to have. They'd make the cutest couple, Liz. But I just hope it's soon. With the way you're raising little Edward, he and his gentlemanly ways will be snatched up quicker than sales on the day after Thanksgiving. I don't want Bella to miss out," Renee stated with a laugh.

"And the second Miss Bella grows into herself—which should be any day now with the way she's been growing lately—the boys will be lining up at the door. Charlie's going to have to beat them off with a bat." The women laughed heartily, imagining Charlie stepping dramatically onto the front porch and cocking his gun at an impossibly long line of teenage boys. "I just can't wait until we're finally in-laws. Can you imagine the wedding we'll get to plan? It'll be so exciting." Liz sighed.

Bella couldn't help the gasp that rose from her lips. Her and _Edward_? Were they talking about the same Edward she knew? The mean, nasty one that loved nothing more than to torture her? Why would _they_ make a cute couple?

"It's just so hard," Renee said soberly, "I hate that they hate each other. My daughter and my best friend's son are nothing less than mortal enemies. How am I supposed to deal with that? It's kind of a pain, having to worry about the two of them in the same room together for longer than three minutes. I'd love nothing more than just to have a nice friendly get together with no screaming, shouting, or crying."

Bella heard Renee sigh, and her heart clenched. She hadn't realized the toll that her fighting with Edward had taken on her poor mother.

_Maybe,_ Bella thought, _Just maybe, I should try being friends with Edward. If it'll make my mom happy, I can at least put in a little effort. Right?_ She sighed, her mood crushed, as she made her way down the stairs. She didn't like the idea, but it was better than nothing. And she really did want to make her mom happy. It was just going to be hard.

"Hey, sweetie," Renee greeted her daughter as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Elizabeth," Bella said. She made her way over to the table where her mom and Elizabeth were sitting, and kissed both of the women on the cheeks before heading to the pantry for a quick breakfast.

"You almost ready for school?" Renee asked.

"I'm ready," Bella said as she unwrapped a granola bar.

In the mornings, all three Masens and Bella carpooled to school. Today was Renee's day, which is why Elizabeth had situated herself at the kitchen table. She had to have brought the kids over. Where they were right now, though, was a mystery.

But, as though they could read her mind, the front door burst open and Alice, Emmett, and Edward came into the house. Their bags were already in the car, they were just waiting for Renee and their mom to stop chatting. Bella wondered if they had heard the conversation she just had.

Indeed they had, but they had agreed not to mention it. Edward, a little immature for his age, still wasn't a big fan of the female population. Sure, they weren't as bad as elementary school, but it was like a person after they've just gotten over the flu—they were still a little contagious, and Edward didn't want to risk getting to close.

Alice immediately made her way over to Bella and hugged her tightly, excited to get to school today. Jasper Whitlock, Emmett's best friend, had suddenly lost his cooties. And Alice couldn't get enough of him. Emmett gave her a hard time, but it didn't matter to her. He may not have known it yet, but she sure did: they would end up together. Alice didn't know when, she just knew it would happen. She couldn't wait to see him again.

Usually, he spent his weekends at the house. But he and his family had gone out of town for the weekend, and Alice had missed him. Yes, she knew it sounded pathetic, especially considering she didn't think he saw her as anything other than Emmett's pesky little sister, but she knew one day he'd realize it. It was only a matter of time.

"Good morning," Alice said with a smile, prancing over to Renee and kissing her cheek.

"Hello there, Alice," Renee said. "And you too, boys."

"Hi, Renee," they chimed in unison.

"Did you guys put your things in the car?" she asked, standing from her place at the table for the first time since Charlie had left for work earlier that morning. She just needed to refill her coffee, and she'd be ready to go.

A few affirmatives rang through the air; Bella was the only one that hadn't.

"Why don't you go wait in the car for me? I'll be out in a minute."

The four kids made their way toward the front door. Emmett, always the gentleman, opened and held the door for his younger siblings. He even considered Bella to be one of his siblings. Hell, she was over with Alice enough that she may as well have been adopted.

Emmett, too, was excited to get to school. He was determined to win over the new girl, Rosalie Hale. She was the prettiest girl Emmett had ever laid eyes on. Her blonde hair practically glowed in the sunlight, and her eyes were an uncanny shade of blue. But that wasn't just what had Emmett interested. Though it wouldn't be hard to get him to admit that her looks was what originally attracted him, her feisty personality was a huge turn on.

Sure, Emmett had had his fair share of girlfriends over the years. But they had all been the same when it came to personality. They'd simply been amazed at Emmett's muscles and done nothing but talk about their hair and how they couldn't wait until they could get married. The first time, Emmett had freaked out. But, as time when on, he found that girls tended to do that. At least, they had up until they got into high school. They may have just realized that it was terrifying to guys, but as long as they stopped planning his future with them, Emmett didn't mind.

But this Rosalie… she was the epitome of the perfect woman. So, unfortunately, the entire male population of the high school was after her, too. Emmett had yet to find a way to stand out, but he figured luck was on his side when he got five of his six classes with her. Two of which, they sat relatively close.

She had this holier-than-thou attitude, and for some reason Emmett couldn't stay away from it. She wasn't easily charmed—he had tried, and she just laughed at him and walked away with her friends.

She had only been there two weeks, and already she was the queen of the school. What wasn't to love?

But Emmett had a plan today. He was going to completely ignore her. Everyone was so eager to talk to _the_ Rosalie Hale. Maybe she would take notice if he pretended she didn't exist. And then, he thought with a grin, why, then, she'd be his.

He noticed Edward hang back by his side. Though it could border on annoying sometimes, Emmett thought it was pretty cool that his little brother looked up to him so much.

"Thanks, Em," Bella said as she passed by me. "Hi, Edward."

All three of the Masens' mouths dropped open simultaneously. Did Bella really just acknowledge Edward civilly?

"Uhm… hi? H-Hi, Isabella." If he hadn't been so stunned, Edward may have been able to respond like a normal human would have. But it was the first time she had ever been nice to him. Or, at least, the only time he remembered.

But she kept on walking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. So what choice were they left with? Emmett and Edward exchanged looks before heading out to the car behind the girls, a silent question passed between them. And neither knew the answer.

Edward was torn. Part of him, the rational part, told him that he couldn't even remember why he didn't like Isabella in the first place. So why couldn't they be friends? But the other part, the dominant one, was arguing that she was annoying and stupid, just like all the other girls. It didn't matter that he had known her for a long time. That didn't change anything.

Did it?

He shook his head back and forth, unable to make a complete decision on how to act around her now. Was that a truce? Were they friends now? What was going on?

"Dude," Emmett whispered from behind him. "Stop over thinking things. It won't get you anywhere, man."

Emmett couldn't help but feel hypocritical as he watched his little bro struggle over the right reaction to little Bella's random act of kindness. Here he was, telling Edward not to over think things when not two minutes ago he was thinking of his ridiculous plan to get a girl to notice him. Not to mention he had been thinking about it ever since she graced the school with her presence.

"Shotgun!" Emmett shouted as he sprinted passed the girls and to the front of Renee's SUV. On the days his mom drove, he usually got to drive them to school and then drive himself to the high school—all with his mom in the car, of course—but Renee, though she was legally allowed to be the 'adult' in the car, was slightly afraid of teenage drivers. She didn't trust them as far as she could throw them.

So Emmett settled for shotgun on the days Renee drove. He pulled open the door and closed it behind him as the three other kids got into the car.

"So guess what Mom told us today?" Alice said as she climbed into the car after Bella. Usually, Alice took the middle between Edward and Bella, but today Bella insisted on sitting in the middle. Again, Edward was startled, but didn't say anything. He focused on what Alice was saying.

"What?" Bella asked.

"She said that Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle are going to be moving to Seattle. For good!" Alice squealed and Edward fought the urge to put his hands over his ears. Alice's squeal was something that, even with twelve years of experience, he would never get used to.

Bella smiled. "Really? That's so exciting. When are they coming?"

"In a few months," Alice replied. "They're going to live a little closer to the city than we do, but we'll be within driving distance, nevertheless. I can't wait. Esme's the coolest aunt out there, I swear. I told you her and Carlisle went to South Africa last summer to help out with building some houses and schools for the kids down there? And she brought me back this gorgeous dress that she said was handmade by a girl who was my age. _My age_. Can you imagine being that good at something at age twelve?

"I haven't gotten the chance to wear it yet. It's sitting in the back of my closet. I'm afraid that if I wear it, though, that I'll ruin it. And it's so special. I have to wait for the perfect occasion to wear it."

Edward toned Alice out, as he usually did when she got started on fashion. But he did agree with her on one thing, though. Carlisle and Esme were like the parents that every kid wishes they had, but can't ever have because of some genetic flaw in the system. It's like adults lose the cool gene the second they have a kid.

Carlisle had gotten Edward started on his car collection. Not real cars, of course—though he had helped Edward out with a fund for his first car—but model cars. As long as Edward could remember, he'd loved cars. Especially the expensive ones. But since he obviously couldn't afford that, Carlisle got him model cars. He had brought Edward model cars from Japan, Germany, and all the other super car manufacturing countries. Of course, Edward had a few here and there from his own buying, but they weren't nearly as cool as the ones Carlisle got for him.

Emmett loved Carlisle and Esme as well. He and Carlisle had a particularly close bond. He was the one that Emmett went to for "the talk." Emmett's dad, Edward Sr., would have been fine, but Carlisle had that special touch.

Emmett already knew how everything… worked… from school, but around the end of freshman year, Emmett had his first serious girlfriend. Carlisle sat him down and, as coolly as possible, said not to be stupid, handed him a Costco-sized pack of condoms, and told him to stay out of trouble.

End of conversation.

Emmett chuckled outwardly as he recalled the memory.

The sound of a slamming door brought him out of his memory, though, as Renee put her coffee mug into the cup holder and turned the car on. They pulled out of the driveway and waved to Elizabeth as she headed back to their house.

* * *

Bella was trying hard.

By saying hello earlier that morning and sitting next to him on the way to school, she was hoping to convey the message that she didn't want to fight anymore and that maybe they could be friends.

And, although he wasn't being outwardly mean to her, he wasn't going out of his way to be nice, either. He still ignored her in the halls and at lunch, but at least he wasn't making fun of her or anything like that.

She couldn't expect a complete one-eighty after only a few hours, but she figured this was progress. Anything would do at this point.

Bella made her way to her locker and spun the combination easily, opening it as if she had done it all her life. To be honest, her mom had bought her a lock to practice on before school started so she wouldn't have a problem. Needless to say, she ended up being extremely useful on the first day of school.

She swapped a few books and made her way to the last period of the day, math.

She had this class with Edward, of course. She had all of her classes with Edward. She wasn't sure what stupid twist of fate had done that, but it was getting old. They had been in the same class together since Kindergarten. Fortunately, in elementary school, they didn't like to separate twins, so Alice was in the classes as well. But middle school was different. She had all of her classes with Edward, and none with Alice. She only got to see her at lunch.

Bella sighed, blowing her bangs up as she made her way through the sea of people to the classroom. _No,_ she chastised herself. _You want to be friends with Edward, remember?_

She put on a determined face as she entered the classroom. The only people there were Edward and a few of his friends and two other girls that Bella got along well with. As she passed Edward's group, she smiled.

"Hi, Edward," she said simply before making her way to her desk in the back.

"Oooh," one of his friends said. "Looks like Eddie's got a girlfriend."

"It's Edward," he snapped, "And she's definitely _not_ my girlfriend."

Bella's face flamed as she started unpacking materials, waiting for the teacher to get back from wherever he was so class could start. In the short amount of time since she had entered, the classroom had filled up a little more.

"She sure looks like it, Ed. I think she _likes_ you. Eddie's got a girlfriend, Eddie's got a girlfriend," another one of his friends started chanting. The rest of the boys quickly joined in.

"Eddie's got a girlfriend, Eddie's got a girlfriend."

"Shut up!" Edward said, angrily. His cheeks were turning red in embarrassment and fury. He couldn't get them to stop talking. At this rate, everyone was going to think that he and Isabella were going steady. And they weren't. They wouldn't. He wouldn't let it happen, and he had to let it be known.

"Eddie's got a girlfriend, Eddie's got a girlfriend, Eddie's got a girlfriend."

"Stop it!" he shouted. "She's not my girlfriend! I don't even like her! She's just an annoying little _girl_. Why would I want to date that? If I was going to date anyone, I would at least make sure it was someone _pretty_. Leave it alone, okay? I told you, I can't stand her."

The look on Bella's face made Edward immediately regret what he said. She looked near tears. But there was no way he could take it back now. He didn't want to deal with all the jokes that his friends would make about him as soon as they found out he might actually like her. He would just try apologizing later.

Bella fought the urge to run out of the room. How could he be so cruel? She had never been so mean to him. Ever. And yet he just found the need to go and humiliate her in front of a classroom full of people?

She buried her head in her hands and let a few tears stray loose, quickly catching them with the palms of her hand before anyone saw.

"Are you okay?" one of the girls that Bella knew as Angela asked calmly.

Bella shook her head, but still answered, "I'm fine."

"Okay," she said. "But if you need someone to talk to, you can come to me."

Bella nodded her head. "Thanks."

She wiped her eyes furiously, not wanting the teacher—or anyone else for that matter—to see that she had been weak enough to let Edward Masen make her cry. She was sure her eyes were red, but there wasn't anything she could do about that.

Angela pushed over some eye drops to Bella's desk. "If you want them," Angela said with a small smile.

"Thanks, Angela." She took the eye drops and dropped a few into her eyes, letting the small burn sting through her eye. She set them down back on Angela's desk.

Biting her lip, she risked a glance at Edward, whose friends had finally quieted down. He was staring back at her, a sad look on his face. It was almost as if he was trying to apologize. Bella furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms angrily. He would not be forgiven that easily. He would have a lot of groveling to do before she could ever consider being friends with him again.

Would it ever happen? It was possible, she thought. But not right now. Right now, he'd have to grow up. Until then, she and Edward Masen were definitely not friends. They were not even acquaintances.

Not in the slightest.

* * *

**A/N:** I won't lie, I'm not a big fan of this chapter. It wasn't hard to write, per se (hahaha. Has anyone seen that South Park with the vamps? I can't say 'Per se' without thinking of that episode anymore. Haha), but it just wasn't fun. It was just… meh. Whatever. I didn't think it was bad, just not my favorite. Just wait a few more chapters. That's when we get to the good stuff.

A lot of you didn't like the fact that Tanya and Edward were going to sleep together. So Ben and I had a long talk… a really long one… and figured out a way around it. It _was_ kind of important to the plot, but our plots are irrelevant if we don't have any readers. So you'll have to see how that plays out next chapter. :)

PS, our next update will be a double chapter! Actually, it's like a chapter and a half, but we couldn't post them together. Haha. Keep an eye out.

_See you next Tuesday_,

cALLIEfornia BENches


	10. Skanky Ho

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Hey guys. Sorry I didn't get a chance to reply to reviews until yesterday. It's been a crazy week, and we've been seriously working hard at trying to get our other story, Turning Eighteen, finished up. But the last few chapters have proven to be pretty damn difficult. But, alas, here's Cursed. The double feature you were promised.

Remember beforehand, we told you we wouldn't let Tanya and Edward sleep together, and we're keeping to our word. The half-chapter after this explains it all. So hold your horses, missy.

**IMPORTANT:** If you'd like, after the first line break, you can skip to the next chapter to read what _actually_ was going on over in Edward's apartment. If not, you can just read it after you finish this chapter. Either way you'll be fine.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 9:** Skanky Ho

Tanya had left about an hour ago, and for the first time since she arrived, I could breathe.

I had been so suffocated when she was here. But whatever, I'd do what I needed to in order to win. And it looked as though I had, I thought with a triumphant smile. I couldn't even begin to explain how happy that made me.

Not to mention the fact that I finally got to write for the first time since she arrived, too. She had always come over just as I was finishing my yoga, and writing had been put on hold. Jacob wouldn't be happy, but at least I had a publisher that understood my feuding with Edward. Jacob, although he'd be unhappy with me, would let it pass when I told him that it had been about Edward.

I opened my laptop and clicked around for my newest story.

The file popped up and my smile, if possible, broadened. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, I was writing, and Edward had lost. I sighed. It didn't get much better than this.

I placed my hands over my keyboard, reading over what I had last written so I could recall what was supposed to happen next.

And that's when I heard it.

A moan.

A _feminine _moan.

I stilled my hands and looked over to the wall I shared with Edward. But with the exception of my classical music, there was no noise. Did I imagine that?

A glance down at my story told me my main characters _were_ in the middle of a pretty passionate love scene. Could it really be possible that I had just gotten so into my writing that I had imagined it?

Probably.

I shook my head, ridding myself of the thoughts, and resumed my typing. But then I heard it again. That same damn moan. I turned down my classical to see if it would happen again. And sure enough, not a minute later there was a different one. A man's moan. _Edward's_ moan.

What the fuck was going on next door?

Before I had chance to answer myself, something knocked against the wall separating my kitchen from the bedroom in the other apartment. And then it knocked again. And again. Repeatedly in a steady rhythm. _Oh, god_, I thought to myself. _Is he serious?_ Just because I won doesn't mean he had to go off and annoy me by fucking some chick. That was just stupid. I rolled my eyes and made my way back to my computer. That was just stupid. I rolled my eyes and made my way back to my computer.

"Oh, Edward!" the girl yelled.

Wait… I recognized that voice.

"Oh, god. Don't stop, Tanya," Edward moaned.

_What?!_ I felt like a complete creeper as I moved toward the wall and pressed my ear against it. He couldn't possibly be doing what I think he's doing… could he? He wouldn't.

But as I pressed my ear to the wall, I heard Tanya giggle. "Yeah? You like that, baby?" she asked.

I wanted to gag. Instead, like the Peeping Tom I was, I pressed my ear even closer to the door. This time, it was Edward I heard laughing quietly. What kind of sick, perverted foreplay were they up to?

"Mmm," Edward groaned.

_What. The. Fuck._

"Oh, yes, right _there,_ Edward."

At this point, I was completely pressed against the wall. I didn't even care how stupid and weird I looked right now, my entire body flush with the wall. I couldn't even hear my classical music anymore, and my story was forgotten. This was much more important.

"Edward!"

Was such a cheater.

"Oh, Tanya!"

Was such a ho.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Tanya chanted.

No, no, no. This meant he won. And that I lost. My face turned red with anger. That was no fair. I didn't have a penis. And just because he had one didn't mean he had to wave it around in every girl's face just to win a stupid competition. It wasn't even like it was that important. For all he knew, Tanya was infested with herpes and crabs.

Whatever. He deserved it, if that was the case.

I banged on the wall three times, trying to get their attention. "Cheater!" I called, loud enough so he would hear it. Immediately, the banging of the bed on my wall ceased and the two burst into a fit of giggles.

"Thanks for helping me out, Tanya," Edward said. I could hear the smile in his voice. Damn it, the bastard knew he won.

"Anytime, babe." I heard a smacking noise that sounded like her kissing him.

My eyes glared at the wall for a moment before I decided to meet them out in the hall. If anything, Tanya needed to be told off for cheating on her goddamned husband. I felt bad for him, having to deal with a skank like Tanya for a wife. I can't believe she would do that. I can't believe _Edward _would do that, especially with a married woman. I may not have liked him, but I always thought he'd have more class than _that_. Imagine what his family would think.

I tore open my door just as the two were embracing goodbye. Edward's hair was a mess, as was Tanya's, and they both looked a little flushed. Not to mention, Tanya was clad in Edward's sweatshirt.

"You," I said, pointing my finger at Edward, "Cheated. There's absolutely no way that counts. Not on my watch." I turned to Tanya. "And you. Don't you have a husband?"

"Don't you have a book to write?" she shot back.

Oh, she was _so_ not a character in my book anymore.

I let out a noise that ended up sounding like a frustrated teenager and stormed back into my apartment and threw myself into my writing. And that's where I stayed for the next four hours, not even caring when the neighbors started making noise after like one or so. I just kept on writing, right through the ruckus.

Jacob would be so proud of me.

* * *

When my phone rang at about two, I glanced nervously at where it sat on the table next to me. I didn't want to stop writing. Hell, my fingers hadn't even stopped moving over the keys since the phone had rang. But when I saw the caller ID said Alice, I figured it would be best to answer.

I sighed and picked up the phone, shooting a sad look toward my story.

"Hello?"

"Bella!" she sang.

I couldn't help but smile. "Hi, Alice."

"So I was talking to Rosalie today," she said, not even bothering with much introduction. "And we decided it was time for a girls' night. What do you say? Some chick flicks, Ben & Jerry's, and martinis?"

"Sounds good. We can do my place if you guys want. You guys bring the Grey Goose and flicks—you know my collection is too scary for either of you—and I'll provide the ice cream. You guys want your usual? I think there's still some in there from last week that you guys didn't get around to opening," I said as I walked over to my fridge and opened it, looking for said ice cream. Sure enough, there were three unopened pints of ice cream.

"When do you want us to come over?" she asked.

"Whenever is fine," I said. "It's not like I've got much going on over here. Just listening to your brother's conquests through the wall. You know, the usual."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'll tell you guys tonight. You won't believe me when I tell you." I shut the door to the freezer and leaned back against it.

Alice clicked her tongue and I could practically see her shaking her head in shame. "Whatever. I'll call Rosalie and we'll be over probably within an hour or two. Don't forget to ear your comfy sweats!"

"How could I, with you around, Alice." I chuckled. "I'll see you later."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

I snapped my phone shut and headed back towards my laptop to save the work I had gotten done and clean my room.

* * *

When my doorbell rang an hour later, I pretty much sprinted to the door. When I threw it open, my two best friends were standing there with their arms outstretched. Even though I had seen them just a few days ago for coffee, I still couldn't help myself by running into the two of them and wrapping my arms around them.

"Come in, come in. We've got so much to talk about."

They followed me back inside the house where I had set up our makeshift bed of blankets. Alice set her stuff down and went straight to the kitchen to fix us out martinis, Rosalie started setting up for the first movie, and I pulled out our Ben & Jerry's. After so many of these girls' nights, we had kind of made a system.

I gathered a few spoons and took out all three pints, stacking them the way I always do. Then, carefully, I made my way back to the living room and dropped each carton by our respective beds. Rosalie was just finishing up preparing the movie—she was just getting through the beginning previews—and Alice was bringing our drinks out and setting them on the table.

We smiled at each other as we sat down and Rosalie hit play, but we hadn't even finished the opening credits when we started talking over it. I didn't even know what movie they had put in.

"So tell me about what happened," Alice said as she took a sip of her martini.

"About Edward?" She nodded. "So I told you both about the bet, yeah?"

Rosalie cocked an eyebrow. "Yes," she said flatly. "We told you how stupid we thought it was, yeah?"

I glared at her. Rosalie had never approved of the childish ways Edward and I had competed. Ever since we met her back when we were in middle school, she always thought it was dumb. Some things never changed.

"Yes," I said. "You did, thank you very much. Anyway. So Tanya left my house earlier this morning, and said she had a plane in the afternoon. I figured she was just going to go back to her hotel, pack, and go home. What I didn't expect is for her to come back and start banging your brother."

"What?" Alice said. "Didn't you say that Tanya was married?"

"Yep," I said.

"And he slept with her? Are you sure?"

"Uhm, Rosalie, I think I know what I heard. There was a lot of moaning, groaning, and screaming in ecstasy. It made me nauseous."

Alice grimaced. "Thanks for the visual, Miss Best-Selling-Smut-Author. Really, you could have gone without some of those description words. This is my brother we're talking about here. I don't need to know about his…," she waved her hands around animatedly, "…scandalous adventures with a skanky ho."

"You asked," I mumbled. "And it's like he was trying to rub it in my face. He _knows_ that we share that wall. And he insisted on having his way with her in _that specific room_. I'm so irritated at him I can't even _begin_ to explain it. She was _married_, Alice. Married. Her relationship with her husband is most likely ruined because of him. How could he do something like that?" I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.

Alice and Rosalie exchanged a glance.

"What?" I asked, "What's that look supposed to mean?"

They looked at each other again before Rosalie spoke up. "Why do you care so much who he fucks?" she asked quietly. "You never really cared before."

I rolled my eyes. "Please. You can't tell me you think I'm having romantic feelings for him." Their silence told me they did. "Alice. Rosalie. I just spent three days with this woman. Whether I wanted to or not, I learned to become friends with her, even if she's a skanky bitch that'll fuck anything with two legs and a penis. What I care about is that she's married, and I don't think her marriage should suffer because Edward's a bonehead."

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever, Bella."

I didn't even feel like arguing with them. They were almost as bad as Renee and Elizabeth had been back in the day, before everything happened with Elizabeth. My lip twitched. I caught myself before I said anything, not wanting to bring up any sad feelings about Alice's parents.

"I don't want to talk about me," I said. "Or Edward, for that matter. What's new with you guys?"

Rosalie got a dreamy smile on her face. "You know Emmett's not the most romantic guy, right?" she asked. We both nodded. As long as I could remember, Emmett was definitely more fueled by lust than love. Even still, his marriage with Rosalie was never weak. They were a cute couple despite the massive amounts of public displays of affections. They had been together since high school. No one would have thought that they'd actually get and stay together for as long as they had.

"Well," she continued, situating herself so her legs were crossed underneath her. "Last night he actually took me out to a romantic dinner." I gasped, jokingly. She chuckled and continued. "He was cute. He made sure I got all dressed up and then held all these doors for me—including opening the car door—and then, at dinner, gave me this whole speech about how he was finally ready to start a family."

Alice chuckled. "Did Edward write his speech for him?"

"Yes, but he made a pretty big show of pulling out a couple note cards and tearing them up at the dinner table before scooting around the table and holding my hand as he said, and I quote 'Screw Edward's notes, this is all me, baby.' And proceeded by saying that he finally wanted a huge family and couldn't wait until I was huge with his babies."

"…And?"

She smirked. "We started trying for real last night."

Alice furrowed her eyebrows. "I thought you said you guys had been trying for a while now?"

"Yeah, but his heart wasn't really in it. He was starting to hate sex and—"

I gasped. "What? Emmett? Hating sex? I didn't even think it was legal to use those words in the same sentence."

Rosalie nodded. "I know, right? Crazy. But his heart wasn't in it, and I was starting to feel bad. I really want a baby," she said. "You know I do. But it just kind of sucks to see your husband be so… not into it. I don't know what changed his mind, but whatever it was, I'm thankful for it." She smiled greatly and put a hand on her perfectly flat stomach. "It's just so exciting, thinking that there'll be something growing inside me sometime soon."

"We're so happy for you—"

A knock sounded at the door and I looked at the girls.

"Expecting someone?" Alice asked.

"No. I'll go see who it is," I said, standing up and heading toward the door. The girls were close behind me. When I looked through the peephole, I couldn't hold in my laughter. I opened up the door so Rosalie and Alice could see.

And there was Craig, dripping in sweat, with no shirt on. Craig was by no means fat, but he definitely had his fair share of blubber. Even I could admit that Edward could pull off the dripping wet, topless look. But these were two completely different situations. Edward was fit, trim, and attractive. Craig was… well, Craig. He had a fair amount of hair on his flabby little tummy, and instead of a clean, freshly showered look, he looked disgustingly sweaty and gross.

And in his hand was nothing other than a measuring cup.

"Hey, ladies. Do you have some flour and eggs that I could borrow?"

I bit my lip, trying extremely hard not to laugh. A few days ago, this had been a ridiculous stunt by Edward. Now it was just a _really_ ridiculous stunt by my crazy neighbor.

"Craig," I said. "Why are you here?"

"Easy," he said, shifting his weight from his left to his right foot. "I need flour and eggs. I'm baking a cake."

I shook my head as I heard Alice and Rosalie trying not to laugh behind me. "Sorry. I gave the last of it to Edward. You might want to check over there if you really need some."

I didn't care if it was rude, but I had to close the door before I even more rudely laughed in his face. The second the door was closed I nearly doubled over in laughter. Rosalie and Alice, of course, didn't get at all what was so funny about a weird, crazy, sweaty guy coming up to my door and asking for flour and eggs, but that didn't matter to me right now. I just needed to let it all out before they sent me to a mental institution.

Craig had probably seen Edward as he was outside my apartment, and then heard Edward getting laid earlier today. He probably assumed they were related. Poor Craig was a desperate man.

After the girls had gone home the next morning and I had picked up, my phone rang. Only one person would call me this early in the morning, and it rarely ever meant good news: Jacob.

"Hey, Jake."

"Hiya, Hellz Bellz. Qué pasa, calabaza?"

"Nothing that great. Alice and Rosalie just left. We had a girls' night last night. It was pretty nice," I said as I stuffed the last blanket into my too-small hall closet. I shoved the door closed, not caring that there was a good chance that the door would break after this.

"What, you had a girls' night and didn't invite me?" he asked.

My lips twitched, fighting to form a smile. If he was calling me this early, there was definitely not a good reason. I didn't want to let him butter me up before just shooting me down. "You know we have a strict no-penis policy, not just a must-like-guys policy."

"Speaking of guys," he practically sang into the phone, "Guess who had their date with Ringo earlier this weekend?"

I smiled even though I didn't want to. "How was that?"

"Oh, Baby Bella, he's amazing. He's super sweet and such a gentleman. He told me he didn't even want a kiss yet because he wanted it to be the perfect moment, not some pressured moment at the front porch. I really like this one, Bells. I think he's a real keeper."

"Yeah, well you said that about that Newton kid, too. And he ended up spreading his seed all over the place when your back was turned for just the slightest second. Just be careful, Jake. I hate seeing you get hurt, even though I know you reap the benefits of us allowing you into our chick night for a few weeks until you get over it all." I pressed the phone between my ear and shoulder as I started on last night's dishes.

Jake sighed. "I know, but I really think this one's different. I've never felt this way about anyone I've dated before. I think there's a good chance he'll end up being the one. I can't wait until you meet him," he said. "What're you doing next week?"

"I don't know yet, probably just working on my book. Why?"

"I'm going to set up a coffee date," he said, determinedly, "And you're going to meet this man. I can guarantee you that you'll just adore him."

"Sure, sure," I said as I tossed a spoon into the silverware basket in my dishwasher.

Jacob took a deep breath and I knew he was about to break the bad news. "Listen," he said. "I've got some good news and some bad news." _No shit, Sherlock_. "Which do you want first?"

"Good," I said, halting from my dishes duty to lean against the counter and listen to him. "Definitely good."

"Alright. So I told you already that Edward's publishing company went under, yeah?"

"Yes…," I said slowly. "Though I'm not sure what that has to do with good news. Usually good news doesn't involve a certain Edward Masen." Surely Jake wouldn't consider that good information in my eyes. Even though I hadn't had a moment to tell him what happened earlier, he still knew that I couldn't stand him.

"I know, I know, your stupid little fights. Whatever. Anyway, due to the recession, the publishing company decided that we're going to have to cut a few of the books we were planning on publishing this year."

I paused. "Still waiting on that good news, there, Jake."

"They've already made the decisions on almost every single one they're going to publish. Good news is, there's one spot left, and you're one of the final contenders for that final position."

"Wait, I wasn't one of the first picked?" I asked, confused. I was one of their bestsellers.

Jacob let out another sigh. "I know, that's what I said. It was a fluke. They kind of set you aside assuming you'd get a spot and spent more time looking at the smaller authors, but then they realized there was only one spot left and they couldn't make a decision between two authors."

I totally knew what was coming. I could see it a mile away.

So I shouldn't have been surprised when the words left his lips. "Bad news is Edward's the other contender."

_There it is._

* * *

**A/N:** Oooh, bit of a cliffie. Sorry about that. :) If you haven't read the next half-chapter, we won't make you wait—just go read the next chapter. :)


	11. Ch 9 and a Half: Edward's Room

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the _Twilight_ series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** This is the _only_ time we will ever repeat POVs in this story, EVER. And it's only because we can't have you thinking that Edward and Tanya slept together. So what really happened in that room? Without further ado…

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 9.5:** Edward's Room

_Previously on Cursed:_

_**EPOV**_

"_Would you like to come in?"_

_All she managed was a small nod, before stumbling through my apartment in her unnaturally high heels._

_I could do this._

_It's time to roll out the big guns. Or rather, the Big Gun._

_I closed the door behind me._

She strolled leisurely over to my couch and lightly ran her hand over the back of it, as if feeling the texture would make this a little less uneasy. It didn't seem to help.

She looked up at me. "I'll be right back," she said smoothly with a sly wink. As she disappeared behind my bathroom door, I sighed and sank down onto the big chair that faced the TV and, consequently the wall that contained the bathroom. I'd have a perfect view from here of when she came out.

Sure enough, not two seconds later, she reappeared in the bathroom doorway in that same sexy corset she bought at the mall. Even though Little Eddie was excited to see her, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at watching her sway her hips over to me. When she took her place on my lap and leaned down for a kiss, I couldn't help but move my lips so she hit my cheek instead.

"I'm sorry," I told her. "I can't do this."

Quicker than I thought possible, she was off my lap and over toward the corner. She was embarrassed. I got up and, pulling my sweatshirt over my head, placed it over her so she was covered up and maybe wouldn't feel so bad.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes near tears. I felt bad, but I knew she'd regret it later if I hadn't stopped her. Hell, I knew _I'd_ regret it later if I hadn't stopped her.

"Oh, Tanya," I said. "As cliché as this is going to sound, it's not you. It was _definitely_ not you." I turned her so she was facing me and put one hand on her shoulder, the other hand gently placing a strand of her hair behind her ear. She reminded me of a little girl with how vulnerable she looked, and I didn't want to push her any farther than I already had. "You're beautiful. Any man would be lucky to have you. But that's exactly it: you have a husband. I couldn't do that to you _or_ him. You deserve better than that. Don't give that up because you got the opportunity to have meaningless sex with one of your favorite authors."

"I'm sorry," she said, the tears finally streaming down her face. I pulled her to me and she cried quietly into my chest.

"Shh," I said. "It's okay. It's totally fine. I just didn't want you to regret it later, okay?"

She nodded into my t-shirt. "Okay," she said.

I placed my hands on her shoulder and drew her back so I was looking at her face. I carefully ran a finger under both eyes to clear up the mascara that had spilled.

"I've also got to be honest with you," I said. "Bella and I… we sort of had a bit of a bet going. It was never official or anything, no wagers, but Bella and I have been competitive since the moment we met back when we were four. This time it was for your affection. Both of us wanted to be your favorite author, and we were sort of seeing who could do it better. I apologize if I led you on."

She shook her head, taking it in. "I won't lie, I kind of feel used…" I opened my mouth to cut her off but she held up a hand, telling me to stop. "But I guess it makes sense. And as shitty as it is, at least you were honest with me. Bella didn't even give me that."

"She has the best of intentions," I said truthfully.

We were silent for a moment as Tanya's breaths calmed down and her eyes started returning to a normal color. Then, all the sudden, she got a devilish little grin on her face. "Want to have some fun with her?" she asked.

My brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she said as she grabbed my wrist and led me back to my bedroom, "why not _pretend_ we slept together? That way you win the bet, and I'm not cheating."

My mouth turned into a sideways smirk. "What?" I repeated.

She smiled and ran up to the wall. "Bella said that she used to have neighbors that had a bedroom in here, and she heard them all the time. She shares this wall with you. It'll be perfect."

Next thing I knew, Tanya let out a long moan. I put a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. She looked pretty funny over there in my sweatshirt and a pair of new stockings, moaning against a wall.

She looked back at me and cocked an eyebrow. "Well? She's not going to believe I'm doing this myself," she said. "I'm going to need some help here."

"I don't know, Tanya… Isn't this a bit much?"

"Definitely not," she said. "Come on. Moan. Pretend something amazing is happening."

I let out a light laugh and went and joined her against the wall on the other side of my bed. And I moaned.

"Nice. Now, we've got to get her to believe it. Come help me bang the bed into the wall." With that, she ran over to the end of my bed and attempted to lift it by herself. I shook my head but joined her anyway, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

But it must have worked, because after a few minutes of moaning and groaning, Bella called through the wall. And at that, neither of us could help but laugh.

"Thanks for helping me out, Tanya," I said to her, pulling her to my side for a hug.

"Anytime, babe," she said, placing a loud kiss on my cheek. "Now come on, she's probably going to meet us at the door." But before she left, she ran a hand through my hair a few times. "You need sex hair," she whispered.

I laughed and mussed up her hair, too. "There," I said. "Now you've got sex hair, too."

She grabbed my arm and, throwing on some jeans and grabbing her bag, led me to the front door.

* * *

**A/N:** There. See? Nothing terrible happened. Hope you were satisfied with it all. Now, it's 1 in the morning and I've still got some homework to do, so I'm out of here. If you have any questions, let me know and I'll get back to you.

_Until Tuesday_,

cALLIEfornia BENches


	12. Battle of Change

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Sorry for the late chapter. It's my (Allie's) fault. I was writing it last night while I was watching TV and I was almost done, and then I read it over and was like "Uhm… what exactly was I thinking?" It was super bipolar because I had been watching SVU, so my mood and the TV show's mood had mixed. Unfortunately, as consequence, a vast majority of the chapter had to be rewritten.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 10: **Battle of Change

_Previously on _Cursed_:_

"_They've already made the decisions on almost every single one they're going to publish. Good news is, there's one spot left, and you're one of the final contenders for that final position."_

"_Wait, I wasn't one of the first picked?" I asked, confused. I was one of their bestsellers._

_Jacob let out another sigh. "I know, that's what I said. It was a fluke. They kind of set you aside assuming you'd get a spot and spent more time looking at the smaller authors, but then they realized there was only one spot left and they couldn't make a decision between two authors."_

_I totally knew what was coming. I could see it a mile away._

_So I shouldn't have been surprised when the words left his lips. "Bad news is Edward's the other contender."_

_There it is._

Jacob ended up asking me to come to his office to discuss it further. In something of a daze, I drove to his building and sat in his office.

I had been sitting in silence for a good twenty minutes, processing the information again. Or at least it felt that long. For all I knew, it could have been thirty seconds. But it sure as hell felt like twenty minutes.

"So what you're saying is the publishers can't decide between me—their trustworthy client of five years—and a newbie? That doesn't make any sense. Why isn't this a no-brainer?" I asked, frustrated. I could have predicted this a mile away, but all the same, it was entirely too frustrating. It wasn't fair that _Edward_, of all people, had to take over my publishing company. This spot should be _mine_.

"That's what I said," Jacob replied as he stood up and started pacing behind his desk, "But the talent between you guys is so close: you both have three best sellers, both your work and his has been nationally recognized, and you guys are both astounding authors. It's too close to call. Though your work isn't comparable in genres and style, the effect of both is almost identical."

I sighed. "Why can't they just take someone else off the list?"

"That's cruel," Jacob said with a shake of their head, "We've already told them they've got the part. Ripping them away from it would be terrible. These are new authors. There's nothing more exciting than your first deal; you remember that feeling. I'm not so heartless as to give them that feeling and then take it back."

My mouth twitched as I stared at the floor. "What can I do?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "There's only so much that can be done. And the only thing I know for sure that you can do is make one hell of a book. Not just as good as the rest, but better. You've got to blow Edward out of the water."

"Can't you just put in a good word for me or something?"

He shook his head sat down on the couch against the wall adjacent from me. "No can do, Bells. I'm not allowed bias. If I even show any kind of it, they won't let me in on the board meeting."

"But you _will _vote for me, right?"

He hesitated. For way too long.

"Jake!" I shouted, standing up. How dare he hesitate?!

"What?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I can't promise you my vote right now, Isabella. This isn't high school. As much as I love you, I have to read both of them before I can fairly judge."

My brows furrowed. "Traitor," I fumed. Granted, I was probably overreacting, but I didn't care. Jake had his own dramatic moments. I was entitled to my own every once in a while. I stood up angrily and stormed over to the door, throwing it open. "Bye, Jake," I said, trying to sound angry. It wasn't working very well.

"Bella," he said calmly. I spun around and looked at him. Sometime in the few seconds it had taken me to walk over to the door, he had followed me. "Bye, babe." He kissed my cheek.

I sighed, defeated, and kissed him soundly. "Bye, Jakey."

He smiled.

I shut the door behind me, angry that I was such a pushover when it came to my best friend.

* * *

When I arrived at my building, I completely disregarded my apartment and went straight for Edward's. I banged on his door until I heard footsteps and a tired "I'm coming, I'm coming, calm down."

The door opened and there stood a tired-looking Edward. His hair was even more disheveled than normal, and he was clad in sweatpants and an old ratty t-shirt with a decent-sized hole in the top right shoulder that revealed a little scar that he had had since he was probably about five years old. He told everyone that he got bitten by a dog after it tried to attack him, but anyone who knew him as long as I had knew that he simply ran into the corner of the counter when he was being chased by Emmett.

In Edward's hands was a bowl of cereal, which obviously he had just taken a bite from because his cheeks were stuffed with food. His eyebrows were lifted high into his forehead, showing he was extremely shocked to see me standing there.

"Did you just wake up?" I asked, my anger momentarily forgotten. A glance at my watch said it was nearing eleven.

"Yeah," he said, taking the hand that was holding his spoon and running it over his face once. "What'd you need?"

_Oh, right_, I thought. _I was supposed to be angry at him_. My anger returned quickly upon being reminded why I had shown up on his doorstep in the first place. "Why did you have to come to Jacob's publishing company?"

He blinked twice, sleepily confused. "What? Didn't we already go over this?" He sighed. "Isabella, if you're interested in rehashing old fights, please come back a little later. I woke up like five minutes ago and I'm not fully awake yet. At least make it a fair fight and wait until I'm completely conscious, alright?"

I threw out my hand to stop the door as he tried to shut it in my face. "No, Edward. That's not why I'm here. I'm here because I'm pissed and angry. At _you_."

"Gee, what else is new?" he muttered under his breath.

I glared. "I assume Jacob told you that it's down to you and me for the last publishing spot?"

"Yeah," he said, blindly reaching to the side of him to set down his bowl of what looked like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. He leaned his body up against the doorway, looking more tired than angry or annoyed.

"…And?!" I asked angrily. "Aren't you angry about it?"

"Of course I am, Isabella. That was a stupid thing to ask. But the fact is, it's eleven o'clock in the morning, I just woke up, and my mind is still asleep. Not to mention the fact that it isn't like there's anything that you or I can do about it. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure why you're here. It's not like I went to Jacob and said 'Hey, old friend, do me a solid and make it so Isabella and I have to go up against each other in a fierce competition for the publishing of our next book.' No, Isabella, I didn't. And I don't for one second think that you did, either."

My brows furrowed, a little surprised that he said that to me. Usually he was either annoyingly calm—which usually came off as cocky—or he was really angry. And right now he was neither. He was simply pissed and annoyed that I had interrupted his breakfast. That just pissed me off further.

"Oh, don't give me that, Masen. We both know that this could have been avoided if you had simply decided to go to any other publisher. So don't give me this 'I can't help it' shit. This spot was saved for _me_. But you just _had_ to come in there and take it from my poor little grasp. Edward, that isn't fair. You know it and I know it." I couldn't help it, but my voice started to sound a little pathetic. "It isn't fair that _you_ have a chance at getting _your_ book published when _I'm_ the one that has been using them since my first book. So it seems to me that you need to give it up and realize that I'm the one that deserves this. Not you.

"Had it been the other way around, and I had come to your publisher, I would agree that you would deserve to get the book published. But you'd be stupid to think that, for some reason, you deserve it more than me. Because it's mine. _I _deserve it, and _I_ have and will work for it. So please, just leave it alone. Just this once, help me out here. Do this for me. I know we've had our differences, but I don't think you understand how much this means to me. I can't lose this."

He was quiet for a moment before he answered. "I'll tell you what, Swan. I'm not going to give it up. I've worked _just_ as hard as you have to get to where I am today. And just because you asked nicely for me to drop out doesn't mean I'm going to. Not in the slightest. In fact, I'm going to work even harder."

I scoffed. "You're just doing it to piss me off, now."

The corner of his mouth twitched up into a crooked smile. "So?" he said. I nearly growled at him. "May the best _man_ win."

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. He was _such_ an asshole. "Do you _ever _keep your trap shut?" I asked, clenching my fists.

"Nope," he said with a sarcastic smile.

"What am I going to do with you?" I asked, mostly to myself. I spun on my heel, frustrated as ever, and headed to my apartment.

"Love you," he sang sarcastically after me.

"Fuck you," I sang in the same tone, slamming my front door open so hard it banged into the wall behind it. It probably left a sort of dent, but I couldn't get myself to care. The fury bubbling in my veins couldn't even be put into words. I wished I had the ability to go over there and punch his face in. Unfortunately, I knew he was much, much, stronger than me. And though I knew he would never hit a girl, I wasn't really in the mood to tempt him. He could take me down faster than a cheetah.

I attempted to walk into my apartment, but my foot caught on something in the doorway. I caught myself before I fell onto my face and, even more frustrated than before, reached down to pick whatever it was up.

It was the measuring cup I had lent Edward back when Tanya was there, and there was a note attached.

_Bella,_

_Edward gave me the flour and eggs that you gave to him a few days ago. I made cupcakes.  
They were delicious._

_Love Craig_

_PS- Are you and Edward sleeping together? Must be feisty the way you two argue all the time. Hot._

With a roll of my eyes, I dropped the measuring cup on the kitchen counter along with the note. I didn't have time for Craig right now.

I threw myself onto my couch and buried my face into the pillow, letting out a ferocious—yet muffled—scream. I was so damn frustrated with Edward. With _everything_. I was sick competing with him, I was sick of fighting with him, I was sick of _him_. Why did fate insist on pushing us together through everything? There was so much that I wished I had done differently during my childhood. Maybe we were being pushed together _because_ we didn't get along. Maybe if we had been friends as kids, this would go away.

Maybe then we wouldn't have had _every single_ class together growing up. All through elementary school, every single class of every single year in middle school and high school, and _then_ every class we had in college—because, of course, we got into the same school and decided to major in the same thing. Just thinking about it makes me sick—if I told anyone about it, they wouldn't believe me. They'd think I was being dramatic. It's _that_ unrealistic.

It's like this ridiculous curse that someone had set upon us, forcing us to always be together in everything we do. And it was annoying as fuck, because there was no getting away from him.

Just as I was preparing to brood for the next few hours, my phone rang. I let out a frustrated growl and pulled it from the front pocket of my jeans. Caller ID said it was Rosalie.

"Hey," I answered lamely.

"Hey Bella. Listen, I don't feel like beating around the bush. Edward told Jasper who told Emmett who told me some bad news. And you're probably going to throw a mini-fit when I tell you, but you have to promise not to freak out too terribly, okay?"

My eyes narrowed at the pillow I was face-to-face with. "Go on," I said, not promising anything.

She took a deep breath, as if trying to prepare herself.

* * *

I slammed my fist against Edward's door, harder than I ever had before. I hadn't even knocked on his door this hard that first day, when his music was too loud.

When the door opened, I shoved myself into his apartment without an invitation.

"Please, Isabella, come right in. So glad you could join me," I heard him murmur sarcastically as he closed the door after me.

I went straight to his bedroom and folded my arms at the setup. Rosalie was right—it fit the scenario perfectly; his bed was against the wall that separated my room from his, making it easy to shove. Making it easy to repeatedly hit the wall. Making it easy to fake sex.

"What are you doing in my bedroom?" his voice came from behind me. "Just couldn't get enough of me?" He laughed once, the sarcasm clearly evident in his voice.

Without answering, I spun on my heel and slapped him across the face. _Wow, that felt good_, I thought absently. But the other part of me felt a little guilty. Maybe he didn't deserve that slap.

"Ow," he drawled as he brought his hand up to rub his cheek and flex his jaw. "What the hell was that for?"

"You little liar," I sneered, walking towards him. He automatically took a few steps back. "Not only are you a liar, but you're a traitor. Which is rich, considering we weren't even on the same _team_. How can you live with yourself?"

He shook his head, dropping his hand to his side. "Isabella, you're going to need to fill me in on why I'm a liar and a traitor."

I smirked and folded my arms across my chest. "Does the name Tanya ring a bell?"

Comprehension dawned on his face and he visibly paled. "Who told you about that?" he said.

"Does it matter, Edward?"

"You're damn right it matters. Who ratted me out?"

"So you don't deny the fact that you faked sex with Tanya to fake your own win?"

He shook his head. "Who was it?"

I didn't want to rat out my friends, but I kind of wanted to rub it in his face that I had more people on my side than he did on his. "Rosalie," I said. "But it doesn't matter. Fact is, not only did you cheat in this little game we have, but you _told her_. You're aware that, by telling her, I most likely lost one of my biggest fans? You're an idiot, Edward Masen." I attempted to walk past him, leaving him on that note, but he reached out and grabbed my arm—surprisingly gently—so I couldn't go anywhere.

"Hey, don't give me that guilt trip," he said. "You were just as much involved in this as I was."

I laughed sourly. "What? I wasn't the one that faked _sex_ to win a stupid non-existent _contest_! I wasn't in there with you when you were doing… _that_," I said, motioning to the bed.

"No," he said, "you weren't. But you _were_ in on the little competition. She felt used, Isabella. As I think I probably would, too, if I found out that two people were having a contest over me to win my affection. It was only fair that she knew about it. You were just involved in that as I was, I just decided to tell her instead of keeping it a secret."

I clenched my jaw together and averted my eyes from his face. I didn't want to admit that he was right. My lip twitched.

The silence stretched out awkwardly between us, and I wanted nothing more than to leave. But I couldn't. Partially because Edward still had a hold on my arm, but also because, for the first time, I kind of wanted to talk to him. I wanted to ask him what he thought about our… well, relationship, if you could call it that. It seemed, talking to him now, that he almost thought it was all ridiculous. But I didn't feel like our relationship was quite at that level.

At the same time, I didn't know if it would ever be. I might not get the chance to ask him again.

"Edward…," I started, bringing my loose hand to the back of my neck and rubbing gently. "I—"

"It's fine. I'm sure Tanya will forgive you with time. She was too big of a fan of yours to just give it all up like that," he said. I opened my mouth to say that no, I wasn't about to apologize, but I decided against it. The moment had passed, and there was no way I could bring it up again. The hand that was holding my arm squeezed lightly before it dropped back to his side. It was surprisingly… intimate for us. I was more than a little confused. "How much do you want to bet she buys the copy of your next book?" he asked with a crooked smile.

"Are you saying I'll win?" I said, narrowing my eyes slightly. "Does that mean you're giving in?"

"Not in the slightest." His smile disappeared and a cocky look plastered itself over his face.

I scoffed. "Of course not."

And whatever moment we happened to have been having was gone, just like that. And we were back to our old ways. Somehow, I wasn't surprised it had ended up this way. It was always like this with us. Part of me was a little disappointed. I was curious as to see if my theory had been right. If we had stayed nice to each other, would we stop being forced together like two magnets of the same charge?

We stood there for a moment, awkwardly staring at each other.

"I, uhm… I should probably go," I said. "I've got a best seller to write."

"You wish," he retorted with a snort. "Listen, I've got to get to writing, too. You know the way out?"

"Yeah."

So I showed myself out the door and went back to my apartment, less angry but not quite defeated. My moods were confused. And that only meant one thing:

I could really go for one of Craig's cupcakes.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, honestly, how cute are guys when they wake up in the morning? :) I don't know about you guys, but I think they're pretty damn adorable. I'm a total sucker for adorable boys post-sleep. I couldn't resist having Edward answer the door like that. *Licks lips.*

Anyway. I'm not a big fan of this chapter, but it was necessary. Their relationship, if you couldn't tell, is starting to change slightly. They don't really know why, or how they feel about it (who knows, maybe they'll both hate it and go back to how it was? Gasp!) but it's there, nevertheless.

If this chapter seemed relatively bipolar, I apologize. As I said at the top, a lot of it had to be rewritten, and there's a good chance I missed some. Sorry. :(

_Until Tuesday,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	13. Grief

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Here's a little glimpse, for those of you who haven't read What He Would Have Wanted, into the depressing-ness that we're known for. Except WHWHW was like ten times worse, _and _in every single chapter up until the very last one. Haha. You're lucky this is one of the very few depression chapters that this story will have. I thought it was really depressing—I (Allie) got teary when I was writing it. Sad day. :( Anyway, here we go.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 11**: Grief

_10 years ago_

"You ready to go, Bella?" Elizabeth asked the little girl as she rounded the corner outside toward Elizabeth's car. Bella had a bright smile on her face and her backpack slung over her shoulder. Alice trailed closely behind, talking rapidly about something or other. Bella's hair was curled and she had a thin silver headband pulling it back off her face. Her face was donned lightly in makeup; obviously the work of Alice, who had begged Elizabeth at the age of thirteen to teach her to put on makeup.

And Elizabeth always had a hard time saying no to her only daughter.

Although, Bella seemed to be more her daughter each and every day. Not to say that she was any less Renee's daughter, but it was like all four kids had two dads and two moms. They may as well have joint custody over them with the amount of time they spent at the others' houses. Bella even had her own room at the Masen house, right next to Alice's and on an entirely different floor from Edward. Technically, it was the guest room, but they had been lucky, and both she and Edward Sr.'s extended family lived relatively close. The only people that hadn't were Elizabeth's sister Esme and her husband Carlisle. And even they had recently moved up to Port Angeles.

It was nice having her sister around again; they had been traveling all over the world for the past few years. When the couple found out that Esme was infertile, her dreams of having a child were crushed. Instead, Carlisle decided to take her anywhere she wanted to go for five years. And then, when they came back, they were going to think about adopting both a baby and a child around the age of ten. They had been looking around adoption agencies a lot lately, and although they had found an onslaught of adorable children, they wanted one that they absolutely fell in love with.

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Between her and Ed, they could probably produce a school of children. Hell, Emmett had been a complete accident. Granted, they had already been married—he had been a honeymoon baby—but they had planned on waiting just about a year to start making a family.

Either way, she couldn't love Emmett anymore than she already did and she couldn't imagine life without him. An accident, maybe, but that didn't mean she loved him any less than Alice and Edward.

When Elizabeth had found out she was pregnant with twins two months after her and Ed had started trying for another kid, she was almost afraid to tell Esme. She knew her sister would be happy for her and excited about the new babies, but her and Carlisle had been trying for three years already, and to no avail.

Sure enough, when Elizabeth had told Esme she was going to have twins, she was nothing less than ecstatic for her baby sister. But Elizabeth hadn't missed the brief drop in her smile. It was less than a millisecond, but it had still been there.

"Mom!" Alice shouted from the car. "Let's go, we're going to be late!"

Elizabeth smiled at her daughter as she made her way into the driver's seat of the car. Emmett was now driving himself to school in a Jeep that he had just recently paid for with his own money. He had been saving up since the day he got his license, and realized last month that he finally had enough.

He had been getting too big for the little Camry they been letting him use, anyway. It was once Ed's car, but upon getting a promotion when Emmett was about fourteen, he got a better car. They thought a lot about selling it, but then they decided that Emmett would need a car in just a few years, so why not just keep it stowed away for him? But it had been clear from day one that Emmett was not meant for that car. He spent hours and hours at the gym every day, now, and his thighs were about the size of his girlfriend, Rosalie's waist. Needless to say, he didn't have much space to move in that care. He needed something bigger and airier.

He hadn't left that Jeep alone unless he was eating, sleeping, at school, or at football. He was lucky that his girlfriend liked cars, too, or she would probably complain about not spending enough time with him. Luckily, the two tended to spend their time working on his new car. Or, at least, that's what Elizabeth preferred to think. She knew Emmett and Rosalie had been sexually active since the day Emmett came home with an imperishable grin on his face and a slum of hickeys on his neck.

Elizabeth had Ed sit him down and talk to him about safety. As much as they loved their son, they weren't ready to be grandparents yet. And as far as Elizabeth knew now, there hadn't been any scares or slipups. And for that, she was strangely proud of her son. She loved the boy with all her heart, but she couldn't help but notice that he had a knack for being a little lazy and irresponsible at times. Maybe this was something he knew needed to be taken seriously.

It was Alice's turn to sit in the front seat, and she was playing with the radio dials. She turned it to a Top 40 station and cranked up the volume as she and Bella started to sing along to the song. Bella was much more timid than Alice, though; she was merely humming while Alice was full on singing and dancing.

"Stop," Elizabeth heard Edward hiss in the backseat. She ignored it, hoping they'd soothe it over themselves.

He didn't say anything more for the next few moments before another "I said stop!" rang through the confines of the minivan.

Elizabeth looked through her rearview mirror to the teens behind her. Bella was sitting with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring out the window, and Edward was glaring at Bella. I was going to ask, but I didn't really want to know.

"Mom," Edward whined, not giving me a chance to stay out of it, "Bella keeps humming the song, and it's really annoying. The song's already bad enough without her humming along to it."

"Edward, Bella, we talked about this already. I'm not taking sides when it comes to you two. If you have a problem, figure it out for yourselves. This isn't something that any of us are going to interfere with, okay?" she asked, staring the two of them down through the mirror. Bella hung her head, defeated, while Edward simply glared in her direction.

Bella's humming stopped.

Elizabeth felt bad for her. She had been trying so hard lately not to fight with him ever since she, Renee, Charlie, and Ed had to sit the two of them down and talk about their constant fighting. She knew it was taking a toll on her. Bella was never one to give in or simply not fight back. Elizabeth knew it was hard for her to just give Edward what he wanted all the time.

As they approached the school, Edward immediately climbed out with his backpack and slammed the van door shut behind him. Elizabeth frowned.

"Girls, I just wanted you to know that Renee's probably going to pick you up. Your father and I are spending the day together and then we're going out to dinner. I'll be home tonight, but it'll be late."

Alice smiled. "Okay," she said. And with a kiss on her mother's cheek, she hopped out of the car. "Love you!" she called. Bella also kissed Elizabeth on the cheek and threw a thank you over her shoulder as she hurried to catch up with Alice.

Elizabeth smiled as she saw her daughter approach Jasper Whitlock and he pressed a very polite, very chaste kiss to her lips. Alice beamed. Jasper glanced over to Elizabeth's car as if he knew she'd be watching and waved once. Liz smiled back waved as she drove back home to start getting ready for the night. Ed said he'd pick her up at noon for lunch, and then they'd be spending the day in Seattle. She couldn't wait.

* * *

When Bella woke up the next morning, she was confused. Her alarm hadn't gone off, and now it was almost nine o'clock. School had started over an hour ago.

She could have sworn she remembered setting her alarm last night, that didn't help matters as of now. Now she was just late. Her heart jumped into her chest and she immediately skipped from her bed and downstairs. Hopefully her mom wouldn't mind taking her to school. She might have been mad, though. Why else wouldn't Renee have woken her up? Had she given a ride to everyone else already?

Bella skipped the last step on the stairs, silently thanking whatever fate that decided she should land somewhat gracefully.

"Mom!" she shouted as she ran into the kitchen. What she saw made her stop dead in her tracks.

At the kitchen table was her mother and her father. Renee sat, head in her hands, and not even bothering to muffle her sobs. Charlie was right at her side, rubbing her back soothingly. He, too, had tears streaming down his face, but he wasn't sobbing like Renee. Bella's brows furrowed as she moved in closer to the kitchen, slower now.

"Mom?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

Bella's mother didn't acknowledge her, and Bella didn't know whether it was because she was ignoring her or if she just hadn't heard. Charlie, however, looked up at his daughter.

"Dad?" Bella asked. "What happened? Why is mom crying?"

Charlie whispered something into the ear of his wife and she nodded lightly. He then kissed the top of her head and got up from his chair, walking over to his daughter, dreading that he was going to have to be the one to break the news to his daughter. He put one hand around her shoulders and led her into the other room so Renee wouldn't have to hear everything all over again.

"Dad, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

Charlie knelt down on one knee and looked at his daughter carefully. "Sweetie," he started.

Bella gulped. Nothing good ever came out of a 'sweetie.' It was always 'Sweetie, we need to talk' or 'Sweetie, I'm sorry but I've got to go out of town for the weekend' or 'Sweetie, you're grounded.'

"Elizabeth and Edward Masen…" he choked a little bit, but did what he could to cover it up, "Elizabeth and Ed died last night on their way home from dinner. They were hit by a drunk driver and drove straight into a telephone pole. They both died upon impact." A tear escaped from his eye, but he wiped it away as quick as he could. He didn't want to appear weak in front of his daughter right now. She would need him, especially in a time like right now.

Bella stood there for a moment, looking down at her father, while she tried to process this information. "What? No." She shook her head. "They can't have died. I just saw her yesterday. She drove us to school." Her head shook. "No, they didn't die. They can't. What'll happen to Edward, Alice, and Emmett?"

Charlie squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip, a habit he had passed onto his daughter. "Esme and Carlisle are moving into the house. Carlisle's packing up their belongings as we speak. The kids are over at the house with Esme."

Bella's head shook violently. "No," she repeated. "No. This couldn't have happened."

Charlie hung his head, wishing there was something he could do for the two women in his life. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Bella took a step back from her father. This must have been a sick joke, she thought. Elizabeth and Edward were like her second set of parents. They wouldn't just _die_ like that. They wouldn't do that to their kids. They loved them too much. They would have fought to live and they would have pulled through, no matter how bad the crash was.

"Bella," Charlie said, standing up and putting his arms around his daughter. "I'm so sorry, Bella. They're gone."

"No!" Bella shouted, pushing herself from her father's grasp. She didn't even notice that tears had started streaming down her face. "Stop saying things like that! They aren't gone, okay?"

Charlie's chin was quivering and Bella could tell he was having a hard time not crying in front of her. "Sweetie, it's okay to be sad about this. They were like family. I know it's hard, but the sooner you admit they're gone the easier it will be. Trust me, it isn't easy for any of us to accept this right now." He moved closer to his daughter and opened his arms, letting her know it would be okay to let go and cry, and that he would be there for her.

But Bella didn't care. She took off, dodging his arms and running out of the house. She didn't want to look back and see the look on Charlie's face, so she simply ran as fast as she could over to the Masen's. She didn't even knock on the door before she sprinted inside and up to Alice's room. When she found it empty, she moved to Emmett's. But his was empty, too. That only left Edward's room or their parents' room. And Bella had a feeling it was more likely the latter.

She moved slowly to the double doors that she knew held the master bedroom. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and a few tears streaked out. She could do this.

But when she opened the door, what she saw broke her heart. Alice was lying on the bed in a fetal position, swimming in her father's sweatshirt. She couldn't see her crying, but she _could _see the tearstained pillowcase underneath her. Edward was sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, hugging his knees to his chest. He had laid his head down so it was staring out the big window on the side of their room. As for Emmett, he was rubbing soothing circles on his sister's back, trying to be the strong one of the family.

That nearly broke Bella down even further. He should have been grieving with the rest of his family. But no, he had to be strong at a terrible time like this.

Nobody noticed Bella's entry, but she slowly made her way toward the bed. As she grew closer, Emmett looked up. He blinked, acknowledging her presence, but quickly went back to Alice. The room was eerily silent, save for the occasional sobs from Alice's chest.

She glanced at Edward. He looked like he could use someone right now. And even though they hadn't ever gotten along, Bella figured that now would be the best time to set those differences aside and be a friend to him. Sure, she was hurting. But they were his actual parents. They were physically related by blood. Bella didn't know how she would deal with it if something happened to both Renee and Charlie.

She made her way over to Edward and sat down on the bed next to him. He didn't seem to know she was there. Awkwardly, she put an arm around him and mimicked the actions that Emmett was doing with Alice, rubbing slowly up and down.

His eyes flashed once, alarmed, before they finally settled on Bella. He stared at her a long moment. She had never seen him look so lost, so vulnerable before. It was almost frightening. His eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks were blotchy, to say the least. At the moment, he wasn't crying. But maybe he had just cried himself out and there were no more tears to be shed.

He sat himself up and leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. Unfortunately, this meant Bella couldn't rub his back for him anymore. She wasn't quite sure what she should do to comfort him.

But, as if he had decided further, his head slid down the wall and landed on her shoulder. She was surprised, but didn't want to move him. If that's what he needed, she would do what she could to help him, whatever that meant. If he needed a shoulder to cry on, she would provide it.

"I was so mean to her, Isabella," he said softly, his voice cracking. "I didn't even say goodbye to her the last time I saw her. I was stupid, selfish and angry."

"Shh," she cooed. He shouldn't have been stressing himself out about the stuff like that.

Bella rested her head on top of his and reached out, grabbing one of his hands in her own. She squeezed it, silently letting him know that she would be there for him. He wasn't responsive at first, and Bella was afraid she had overstepped her boundaries. But, a second later, she felt a feeble hand squeeze back. And suddenly, she felt a great sense of accomplishment. There was a good chance that, after this, maybe they could step away from their differences. Maybe they could be friends. Maybe this great loss could actually bring them together.

Elizabeth and Ed would have loved that. They had always hated the never ending feud between their son and Bella. Maybe he would try a little harder now that they were gone.

Even though Bella knew it was a whole bunch of maybes, she couldn't help but think it might be a strong possibility. Especially with the way they were acting right now. She had never been this friendly with him before.

Bella raised her head and took a look at Edward. He looked tired beyond belief. She leaned down to him quietly. "Do you want to sleep?" she asked, whispering so that, if Emmett had any progress with Alice, it wouldn't be wasted.

Edward raised his head and looked at her before he nodded once. Bella untangled their hands and moved herself so she was comfortably sitting with her legs crossed under her, and placed a pillow on her lap. She patted it twice, urging him to lay down there.

When he didn't even hesitate to place his head on the pillow, she knew he must have been way more distraught than he let on. Normal Edward not only would have refused to touch her, but he probably would have freaked out when she even suggested something like this. It was intimate, no doubt about it.

He lay on his stomach and faced his head towards the window again. But this time, his eyes fluttered shut. Not sure what else to do, she ran a hand through his hair. When he sighed, relaxing a little, she did it again. And again, until he fell asleep.

As soon as she was sure he was out, Bella allowed herself to lean her head back against the wall and allow some tears to fall. This was real; it actually happened. No one very close to her had died before. She had been to a few funerals, but they had been for the people like her mother's aunt, or her great grandfather. They were people she hadn't known very well. They died when she was young.

But now she was much older. And she was very close to these people. She wanted nothing more than to bring them back. For her, for her parents, for Edward, Alice, and Emmett. She hadn't seen one happy face since sometime last night.

Bella brought her hand from Edward's hair to wipe at her eyes. Immediately, his entire body tensed and his eyes clenched shut. She wasn't sure if he was waking up already, or if he was maybe having a nightmare. Either way, he needed sleep. She returned her hand to his messy hair and combed her fingers through it.

Edward sighed, and suddenly brought his arms up so they were wrapped around Bella's waist. He pulled himself further onto the pillow and into her lap, sighing again in his sleep. It was like he was hugging her with his head nearly buried into her stomach. Maybe he thought she was a pillow. It didn't really matter to her, as long as he was comfortable.

And that's where she would stay as long as he would let her.

* * *

None of the children went to school for the next week. School work was brought home by friends, but none got done until the night before Esme, Carlisle, Renee, and Charlie decided it was time for them all to return to their normal lives again. Edward was curious as to how things would be between he and Isabella after that first night. They had been getting along, but he wasn't sure how he would deal with it in front of everyone else.

They were practically known for their fighting. He didn't want people to think he was giving up on it.

He was probably going to regret it, especially after how nice she had been to him lately, but he didn't see another way around it. He was going to have to ignore her again. He was going to have to ignore her, or people were going to talk. And at this point, he didn't want people talking bad about her. He had enjoyed getting along with her for the short amount of time, but he would sacrifice it if it meant people wouldn't say bad things about the two of them behind her back. She deserved better than that.

Plus, last time he was selfish, he ended up giving up a chance to say goodbye to his mother for the last time.

So as they got out of the car and stepped onto school grounds, Edward walked quickly to his group of friends. Bella called after him once, but he didn't respond or slow his speed. _It needed to be done_, he tried to convince himself.

He chanced a glance back to where Isabella had been standing and immediately regretted it. The look of pain etched onto her face would be engraved in his memory forever. He saw Alice quickly throw an arm around her shoulders and lead her away. He practically felt his heart break as he watched his newfound friendship shatter in front of his eyes.

_It had to be done_.

* * *

**A/N:** So, I'm kind of in love with this chapter. I won't lie. It's probably in top 5. Sure, it's not the longest chapter. But I really, really liked it. I hope you guys did, too. Next chapter is EPOV. :)

_Until Tuesday,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	14. Memory Lane

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Hey guys, I know we haven't done chapter playlists since like Chapter 10 of TE, (Hell, I don't even know if we've ever done them on this story) but I wanted to let you know that, if you were interested, my (Allie's) inspiration for this chapter was "Memory Lane," by Elliott Smith. If you've never heard him, I highly recommend him.

**IMPORTANT!** The first part of this section is Edward's book. And for this, we have a very special surprise for you. The lovely jmeyer (you probably know her from her wonderful story "Eight Years Later") has graciously accepted our request to write the excerpt of Edward's book. She's an amazing writer, and we couldn't be happier that she has honored us with her writing skills. The link to her fantastic story is on our site if you're interested. Anyway, everything in italics towards the beginning is hers. So without further ado, Edward's novel, written by the lovely jmeyer.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 12**: Memory Lane

EPOV

"_Cole," Elle whispers. Her voice is thick with desperation and pain. "We aren't going to make it, are we?"_

_I stare down at the damaged face of my beautiful angel and my heart just about breaks. I can't bring myself to give her an honest answer. She is an innocent. She isn't apart of this life; she never asked for this._

I paused as I stared at the paragraphs of my novel. This was just near the climax, just before everything happens. It needed to be good. No, it needed to be better than good. It needed to beat Isabella's. And if it was going to do that, I would have to go above and beyond. I would have to go through my entire novel and add more.

Looking over the last paragraph, I added one more sentence.

_Her piercing blue eyes are brimming over with tears and I can tell that she is in a lot more pain than she is letting on._

There. That was good. Next paragraph.

_My hands quickly survey her body as I assess the damage. Blood is leaking from a deep wound behind her left ear, leaving her usually brilliant blonde hair tinged a brownish red color. Her pouty bottom lip is cut and swollen. I can practically see that monster's fist imprint, where he laid his disgusting hands on her. Her clothes are in tatters. They are covered in dirt and blood. Each breath she takes causes her to wince in pain, and the bruising along her stomach indicates that he had broken several of her delicate ribs._

_I'd been through hell and back these past few days trying to get to her, trying to save her like she was some fucking damsel in distress. But I'm not a knight in shining armor. I'm just a CIA analyst who got caught up in a twisted game of cat and mouse. And the villain here isn't some jealous step mother or the Wicked Witch of the West. Alec Fedir is the biggest crime lord in Russia who has been on the US Government's most wanted list for years. And this isn't some fucking fairy tale. The horror here is real. The danger is real. Things would not be magically okay by the time the clock tolls midnight._

"_Shhhh…," I whisper as I run my thumb in slow circles along the palm of her hand. "Baby, I promise I am going to get us out of here."_

"_And then what?" A lone tear trickles down her cheek. "He knows where I live, where I work. He knows my parent's address and what school my nieces attend. Cole, this is never going to end. He is never going to stop."_

_Her voice cracks and I can tell she is terrified. Her family is everything to her. During our first date all those months ago, she spent the entire time talking about her childhood and her family. She even pulled out photographs of two precious little girls that she is lucky enough to call her nieces, Emily and Abby. With any other woman, that might have sent a red warning flag flying high up in the air and I would have run for the hills. But with Elle, it is different. _

I sighed. _How _was it different for Elle? I needed something good. Something… sexy. I closed my eyes and tried to think of a way to explain what Elle was to Cole. Cole wasn't big on romance. Ever. He hated women. So why, oh why was Elle so different?

A smile spread its way across my face as I thought of it.

_She's a vixen with a heart and I just can't get enough of her._

_The monster inside of me roars to life. I won't let this woman suffer any more at the hands of Alex Fedir and his men. I won't let him use her as a pawn in his perverted game. I won't let him lay one more finger upon her precious body, nor will he even think about harming those people in her life that she holds so dear._

"_Baby," I whisper soothingly as I pull out the .22 I had tucked in the small of my back and hand it to her. "Take this. Do you know how to shoot?"_

"_Cole, no," she says frantically. "Where are you going?"_

"_There are six rounds in here, use them wisely," I explain quickly. "Elle, I swear to God I won't let him hurt you again."_

I should probably add some romance in here, for those readers who enjoyed the small affairs that had scattered itself into this plot. It usually wasn't my thing, but when I had created Elle, she just sort of weaseled her way into Cole's life. The characters wrote themselves. And then one thing led to another and he had feelings for her. I couldn't bear to change it once they were written that way.

_I kiss my angel hard, probably for the last time._

There. That would suffice.

"_Don't hesitate," I say. _

_Her eyes are filled with sadness, and I know that she understands what has to happen. She gives me a slight nod of her head and I take that as my sign to go. I stand up, with my Smith and Weston in hand. This is going to end. Right here, right now. Alec Fedir and his men are going to pay for every single mark they laid on Elle._

I was torn away from my work when my phone started ringing. As quickly as possible, I finished the end of the sentence and reached over, grabbing the phone and pressing it to my ear.

"Yeah," I answered bluntly, adding a final sentence.

_If it takes my very last breath, I swear I will make them pay._

I smiled, satisfied with my work for the day.

"Edward," Esme sang happily from the other line.

I couldn't help but smile. Esme always knew how to make me smile, even when I was working as hard as I had been all morning. Immediately upon hearing her voice, I sat back in my chair and crossed my free arm across my chest, resting it in the crook of the elbow holding up my phone.

"Hello, Esme," I said. "It's so good to hear from you. I feel like it's been ages since I've been able to talk to my favorite person in the whole wide world."

She chuckled. "That's what I'm calling about. Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice all showed up last night with no you. I told Emmett to invite you over, and he told Alice to tell you, and Alice told Jasper, and Jasper told Rosalie. Nevertheless, they all thought someone else told you and Bella, but no one did. Are you two coming down tonight?"

I pursed my lips. Of course I remembered what today was; I was just kind of hoping everyone had decided to keep quiet about it. As much as they liked getting together to pay their respects on the anniversary of my parents' death, I always found it too personal. I always felt like I was celebrating their death, even though they kept on insisting that we were 'celebrating their lives.' I liked to spend the day by myself, not with others. It got too sad. I had been in pretty bad shape for nearly a year after their death, but that first week had been brutal. I never, ever wanted to relive the way I felt those first few days.

And I guess I just didn't understand why we were going to celebrate something like that.

"Edward? Are you there, dear?"

I coughed. "Yes, of course, Esme." My voice, I noticed, was a little more terse and strained than it was before. Definitely not as happy.

"Are you going to come tonight? We're having the Swans over as well. We'd love it if you and Bella were able to come for dinner tonight, and maybe spend the night at the house." I hesitated, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers. "Please, Edward? It'd mean a lot to everyone."

Damn it. She knew I couldn't say no to her. "Of course, Esme. I'll be there," I said quietly.

Whether she detected the sadness in my voice, I had no idea. But if she did, she didn't comment. "Wonderful," she gushed. "Can you tell Bella? I don't think she knows, either."

"Sure," I said, all happiness in my voice gone.

"Or, you know what? Why don't you two just drive down together? Do the environment a favor and just take one car. It'd be pointless to take two." Not in the mood to argue, I acquiesced. Esme never really understood why Isabella and I never really got along. She simply just kept trying to force us together, hoping we would work it out one day. We never did, of course, but not for Esme's lack of trying. She was worse than my mother had been, but I couldn't help but admire her perseverance.

I hung up my phone after a pleasurable goodbye and stared back at my computer, willing the inspiration to write to come. But it never returned. It was probably gone for the day, now.

With a sigh, I saved my work and threw a pair of sweatpants over my boxers to head over to Isabella's. If we were going to make it to Forks by dinnertime, we would probably have to leave soon, anyway.

I knocked on her door, and she quickly answered in a pair of ratty jeans and a sweater. I wondered what she did when she woke up so early. It was only eleven—I hadn't even showered today.

"Well how's this for a change?" she asked sarcastically. "Isn't it usually me banging on your door to complain?"

"Who says I'm here to complain?" I asked, tugging once on the hem of my purple University of Washington sweatshirt. I didn't want to fight with her—I wasn't in the mood. She had to have known that, too, or else she probably would have pushed harder in this little fight. "Esme just called. They're having dinner at my house tonight and want us to come. The others are all down there already; they forgot to tell us. So we're going to drive down there for dinner and stay the night."

She nodded. "I'm assuming we're taking the same car," she said flatly. I nodded. Again, she sucked up an argument. If there was one day I could trust Isabella, it would be today. Today was the day she was always there for me, no matter what was going on. Even over the years, she always made a point to call or stop by if we were living near to each other. It was nice to know she cared, but the day after always seemed to be a little worse. It was like she was remembering the terrible way I treated her the day we went back to school. And I could never blame her; I deserved every ounce of it.

"What time do you want to leave?" she asked.

"As soon as possible. I've just got to shower and pack and then we can go. How about we meet out here in about an hour?"

She nodded. "I'll see you then."

I went to walk away, but hadn't even reached my door when she called out after me. "Edward," she said. I turned back and looked at her. "Are you going to be okay today?"

I attempted a smile, but I was pretty sure it didn't actually reach my eyes. "We'll see how it goes. Thanks, though."

"Yeah," she said quietly. She quickly spun on her heel and shut her door behind her.

* * *

I met Isabella in the hallway almost exactly an hour later. She had one small bag in her hand—even smaller than mine. I don't know how she did it; Alice's usually had three or four bags about the size of her for one simple night.

"Ready?" she asked. I nodded and silently started toward my car. I didn't need to look back to know that she was following me. I could hear the soft patter of her tennis shoes on the old carpet behind me.

It was silent as I loaded both of our bags into the back and got into the car. It was silent as we left. It was silent for the first hour and second hour, save for my iPod, which had been playing a mixture of classical and some of my favorite artists. Isabella was listening to her own music, reading a book. I hadn't seen what book it was.

The silence wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but it wasn't comfortable, either. I think we had both settled on the truth that without speaking, we didn't have to worry about fighting. And that would be best for everyone.

As we were passing the "Forks: 50 miles" sign, I started getting hungry. I tapped Isabella on the shoulder and she looked up, removing an earphone.

"Want to stop and get something to eat?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not really hungry, but I don't care. I ate before we left."

"Oh," I said, a little ticked that she hadn't told me. If I had known she was going to eat, I would have eaten, too. I thought she was going to want to go out. "That would have been nice to know a few hours ago."

From the corner of my eye, I saw her squeeze her eyes shut and capture the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Listen, Edward. I don't want to fight with you today, alright? I'm not stopping you from getting something to eat."

"No, but then I feel like an idiot for having to stop on the way for just myself." I sighed. "Whatever, we're not too far from Forks. I'll just grab something when I get there."

I didn't even have to look at her to know she was rolling her eyes. I could practically hear it. "Edward, don't be stupid. Get something to eat. _I don't care_," she emphasized.

My lips pursed. Fine. But I was still going to wait until we got there.

"Edward," she said. I flickered my eyes from the road, to her, and back again so she knew I was listening. "I know we don't always get along." She paused, then scoffed. "Okay, so we never get along," she corrected, "But, nevertheless, this weekend isn't about us. It's about your mother and your father, okay? So can we just put the fighting on hold for the weekend?" Isabella bit her lip, and I could tell she was contemplating whether or not to say something.

"What?" I asked. "What don't you want to say to me right now?"

"How do you know I'm holding something back?"

"Isabella, whether I want to or not, I know you. I know when you want to say something, but don't have the guts to do so. So you can either put your earphones back in, pretend this conversation never happened, and we can fight all weekend or you can say whatever the fuck you don't want to say to me. If we're going to be civil, we need to get things out in the air now, before we're around everyone else." I tightened my knuckles on the steering wheel. It felt good to get that off my chest. I don't know why I was feeling so aggressive today. Usually on the anniversary of my parents' death I was more solemn and upset. Today I was just… angry.

Isabella was staring at me with her eyebrows up into her forehead. "Fine," she said. "I was going to say that I knew we would be able to hold off fighting for the weekend because we've done it before. We can get along for the weekend, and then we'll go back to arguing and fighting as soon as it's over." The tone in her voice flattened. "Just like we always do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It _means_," she said, her voice rising. Then, as if hearing herself get angry, she took a deep breath and tried again. "It means nothing. Never mind."

"No, Isabella, what do you mean?"

"Can we drop it? Just forget I said anything, okay?" And with that, she put both her earphones back in her ear, turned up her music, and opened her book back up.

I knew exactly what she was referring to, of course. We had a habit of getting along for a day or two—usually around the anniversary—but I always went back to treating her the way we generally treated each other as soon as it was over. I didn't want her to regret anything, and most of the time it just seemed easier than attempting to get along.

But still, I felt relatively bad. She _had_ been the only one there for me during my toughest of times, back when they had first died. Especially when I had a hard time adjusting to Carlisle and Esme.

Carlisle and Esme had rushed into our lives where Mom and Dad had faded out. They had brought in with them their suitcases and their red, puffy eyes, as if they were trying to send the message that they could empathize with our situation. Like they could relate to the children of the deceased. Immediately, they tried their hardest to assimilate into the previous routine so as to "lessen" the pain. Supper was always at seven, just as it had been before the accident. There were no changes in morning protocols, or in bedtimes. Hell, even Esme had taken it upon herself to cook the same foods as Mom had.

But it wasn't the same. And because they tried so hard to suppress the pain, to blanket the sobs and to smother us, I hated them adamantly. Anytime they tried to repeat the actions of my parents, it set me off; no matter how well they did it, or what they did, they would never be enough. They weren't Mom and Dad.

They were fakes in my eyes. I kicked and screamed when I found out they would be staying in Mom and Dad's room. It was the last place where I could still smell them. And with them living there, the scent of my parents would be masked.

From then on, my innocence from childhood and my carefree mentality disintegrated into a wisp of smoke. I would look around at everyone except my family and see happy faces, smiles, love. Then, with a small swivel of the head, my gaze would fall upon my sister, Emmett, and Isabella, who might as well have been in the family. There was nothing. Nothing but solemn faces that would feel guilty if even the tiniest smirk landed on their features. We had all lost ourselves with the accident. Everyone might as well have been in the car.

I would face the smiling crowd once more, and anger always seemed to boil under my veins. Because someone had stolen our happiness and distorted our grins.

Ironically, Isabella was the only one there for me. Alice was too busy weeping to console anyone but herself, and she had just enough energy to piece her life back together. Emmett, the hero I had once admired, was my greatest embarrassment. He acted like a bully to anyone who was in his reach, family included. He pretended not to care, that he was indeed too old to attach himself to love. That he was a man. I never told anyone that I could hear him as he silently wept at night for four months after their death.

We became strangers living spare lives. But Isabella was still there, breathing, living, and best of all, silent. And with her small gestures of holding my hand, in placing her head on my shoulders, she turned into the anchor I needed. She guided me out of the shock, out of bed, and on with my life.

I took small enjoyment in her presence.

Eventually, Carlisle and Esme grew on me. I was still hesitant, still tortured, and still absolutely numb, but it was tolerable.

I remembered the funeral, and that the day we bought Mom's favorite flowers, the sky was the deepest shade of blue I had ever seen Forks show. The whole time, Isabella held my hand.

They told me not to wear black the day of the funeral; that Mom and Dad would have wanted some color around, even up until the end of their lives. The neighbors recalled small tokens of memories, all insignificant to my ears, and much too quiet to even truly be heard over Alice's wails. There was always the ever-popular phrase of sympathy: "My deepest condolences," "What a pity," and my all-time favorite "They still had so much to live for." I wanted to scream at them for being so idiotic. I briefly considered simply arriving to the ceremony, loyally draped in the colors and hues of the rainbow, to display that I would try my damn hardest to make it better. To make the pain go away.

That day was the hardest day of my life. I kissed my mother and father for the last time, their faces disguised as stone, and their features etched with words of memory. I kissed what was left of them, the small piece of them above the soil.

I said goodbye while holding hands with Isabella. It took all my strength not to cry in front of the rest of my family. I waited until they turned their backs before wailing into her shoulders.

That night, Esme called me to her side. She and Carlisle were going to adopt us. Before I could protest, I thought of Alice. Of Emmett. Of Charlie and Renee, who had fallen ill due to progressive depression. But most importantly, I thought of my anchor, Isabella. I couldn't live against everyone anymore. With that kiss on the gravestone, I had left all reason to rebel, to cause a fit. Isabella had given me a chance to start over. To be happy.

I would never regain my innocence, or the time I spent wallowing. But I could try.

"Edward," a voice said to me now. I looked over to Isabella's sympathetic face. "We're here."

"Oh," I said. I hadn't realized I had driven here already.

Isabella reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it once. She didn't need to say anything. I already knew she'd be there for me today if I needed her.

* * *

**A/N:** Again, sorry it's late. Not much to say down here, except for another thanks to jmeyer for writing Edward's novel. We absolutely loved it, and we hope you did, too.

_Until Tuesday,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	15. Grave Sentiments

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Sorry, sorry, sorry. My (Allie's) fault. My laptop battery kept dying when I was trying to write and I kept losing stuff. And then it wouldn't charge—I'm getting it looked at. As an apology, I'm going to post the next chapter probably this weekend. :) Anywho, here we go.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 13:** Grave Sentiments

EPOV

_Previously on _Cursed_:_

"_Edward," a voice said to me now. I looked over to Isabella's sympathetic face. "We're here."_

"_Oh," I said. I hadn't realized I had driven here already._

_Isabella reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it once. She didn't need to say anything. I already knew she'd be there for me today if I needed her._

"Edward! Bella!" Esme called as she came out onto the porch to greet Isabella and me. Isabella reached forward and embraced my aunt tightly. "It's so good to see you, Bella. How have you been?"

Isabella smiled. "I've been alright, Esme. How are you?"

"I'm as good as I can be on this day." She turned to me with a sympathetic face. "Edward, dear." This was what I hated about these get-togethers. 'Poor Edward' seemed to emanate from everyone's pores, no matter who they were. I knew that was something that Emmett and Alice got as well, but it didn't seem like it irked them as much as it did me.

"Hi, Esme," I said through clenched teeth as I gave her a small hug.

I gave my greetings to Carlisle, Charlie, and Renee as I entered the house, as well. But I didn't really want to hear their coos of sympathy. To be honest, I didn't want much more than to be alone. I thought I'd be able to handle being here, but this year isn't turning out to be much different than any of the others.

So as soon as I had said hello, I attempted to make my way up to my old room. But Isabella must have seen what I was about to do, and stopped me. Even whilst in the middle of a conversation with Renee, her hand reached out as I passed her and she squeezed my shoulder, silently telling me not to go anywhere. I pursed my lips, but didn't leave nevertheless. Isabella seemed to know what was best for me whenever it came to this day.

Instead of leaving to my room, I leaned against the wall and shoved my hands in my pockets, hoping that no one would come up and talk to me. But, of course, when two tiny arms wrapped themselves around my waist and squeezed, I knew Alice wouldn't allow for that to happen.

"Edward," she said softly.

And with that I knew that this wasn't just about me. Alice had always had a hard time coping with the death of our parents, and this day was really hard for her. She tended to cling to Emmett for a few days before and a few days after. But I hugged her back tightly. No one understood quite exactly what we went through besides each other.

"Hi Alice," I replied quietly.

Emmett and I shook hands before he pulled me into a 'man hug.'

"You guys arrived just in time," Esme said as she made her way through the little crowd of people. "Dinner will be ready in five. How about everyone washes up and goes to the table?"

I made my way over to where I had left my old, ratty Forks High gym bag in the corner and threw it over my shoulder. While everyone else was freshening up, I decided it would probably be best to get my things out of the way and into my room. Plus, it gave me something to do. I didn't want to sit around the dinner table and watch while everyone started talking about my parents and what great people they were. I knew they were great people; I didn't need to hear more anecdotes. I had heard them all over the years.

I dropped the bag in my room and looked around. Not much had changed, with the exception of the empty music shelves and lack of clothes in the drawers. Everything I hadn't taken to my dorms or apartments was in the exact spot it had been during my childhood. The only exception was the relatively new picture of my parents. Not that it was a new picture, but when I had moved into the apartment I lived in now, I had taken the frame and picture that had been in this room, on this nightstand, and moved it into the new apartment. I still wanted one in here, though, so I had made a copy of the picture and bought a new frame.

I fingered the wood around the black and white picture delicately. The picture was of my parents a few months after their honeymoon. They had been taking a walk in the park with Esme and Carlisle, since the latter pair was only in town for a few days before they headed off to Africa for six weeks. Esme had taken the picture when my parents had been in the sweet moment just before a kiss. The look in their eyes was something I had always craved, always wanted. But I had never been able to find it in any of the girls I had seen and dated before. To me, it seemed like there was no such thing as the love my parents had for each other.

"Edward!" someone shouted; it sounded like Esme. "Dinner's ready!" I fought the urge to groan. I never got a chance to relax anymore.

I forced my feet off my bed and trudged back down the stairs and to the table. The food was laid out on the table and no one had decided to wait for me before dishing themselves up some of the delicious Italian food that Esme made for us. Especially Emmett. His plate was already completely filled and nearing six inches high. He had always been a sucker for Esme's Italian. When she and Carlisle had gone to Italy, she spent a majority of her time learning how they made it.

I sat down in the last available seat—between Isabella and Jasper—and silently started putting some food onto my plate.

"How do we want to remember them this year? Funny stories? Sad stories? Silence? Prayer?" Carlisle asked.

_Silence_, I begged. _Please, silence._ But it had never gone that way before, so I couldn't expect it to happen this year.

"Stories," Alice said excitedly. She always liked hearing stories of my parents, especially of them as they were kids. "Esme, can you tell us the one where my mom and my dad met? That one's my favorite."

"Of course," she said with a smile. She took one bite before she started. "It was the fall of 1977 at the University of Washington's first major frat party of the year. Edward Sr., always the ladies' man, seemed to be dancing with a different girl after every song. It was either that, or he was hanging out at the keg serving all the new college girls while simultaneously getting some flirting time in.

"When Elizabeth decided that she was going to have a beer, we were all shocked. She had never been interested in drinking during her high school years. It was like something in her mind decided that she was going to have her first drink that very night. Coincidentally, your father was at the keg serving up beers at that point. So when Elizabeth and I made our way to the keg, he unleashed his uneven, dimple-ridden smile at your mother, thinking she'd go weak in the knees.

"She thought it was cute, of course, but your mother was stubborn. She didn't want to be just another girl in his line that night. So instead, when he offered her a drink, she smiled and said 'no.'

"Edward was confused. No girl had ever said no to him before. And he watched as she proceeded to attempt to pour her own drink. But Elizabeth, never having used a keg before, started doing it wrong and ended up with a cup of foam. The whole time, Edward was trying not to laugh. He thought she was charming in her own stubborn way. So he watched her, a little cocky, as I helped her pour her first cup of beer. And then, as she left, she sent a smug smile in Edward's direction.

"Unfortunately, Edward had never been good at resisting temptation. He was used to getting what he wanted. And at that moment, he wanted Elizabeth. It was borderline pathetic, the way he followed her around that night. And although when I asked her, Elizabeth denied ever loving the attention, we all knew she did. She simply pretended to be annoyed.

"Finally, Edward said that he would leave her alone if she danced with him just once. So she agreed. And the rest, my friends, is history. They were inseparable after that night." Esme smiled as she took another bite.

Alice let out a dreamy sigh. "I love that story," she said with a smile.

"What's another good story, one that maybe we haven't heard before?" Renee asked, glancing around the table.

"I've got one," Charlie said, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "It was one of the days that Edward and Bella had one of their really big fights, and refused to be in the same house as each other...."

I stopped listening as everyone took a turn in telling a story that they loved about my parents. I was the only one that didn't take part in the festivities.

At the end of dinner, Carlisle stood and started picking up the empty plates. Emmett, Jasper, and Charlie quickly followed suit, so I joined them as well. I picked up my place, as well as Bella's, Renee's, and a few spare plates in the center. It was an unwritten rule that, since the women had cooked, the men did the dishes. But it was always done… _after_.

After they went to the graves.

Of course, I never went. Well, I went occasionally, but never with anyone else. I don't think I could fathom sharing that experience with anyone else. It was too intimate. It was hard to control my emotions, and I hated appearing weak in front of anyone else. They all knew this, of course, and stopped bothering with an invite after the fifth year or so.

So after the table had been cleared, everyone started bundling up in coats and sweatshirts. I stayed in the corner and watched. I didn't even notice when Isabella made her way over to me.

"You coming?" she asked, even though we both knew I wouldn't.

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest. "Say hi to them for me, will you?"

She shook her head once. "I don't get it, Edward. I know you don't like going with other people, but I would think it would mean a lot to them if you went today. It seems a little selfish that you aren't going because you don't feel like being with other people." My eyebrows shot up. She was genuinely angry. "You could at least show some respect. They were, after all, _your _parents." Her head was shaking slower now, side to side. And I knew what she was going to say before she said it. "I'm disappointed in you, Edward. You're better than this."

I hadn't realized that everyone had already stepped outside. I didn't care, though. It didn't matter. I could have defended myself. She didn't know what it was like to lose a parent; she didn't know what I was going through. But I couldn't get myself to open my mouth. Instead, I dealt with it like a child and simply stormed past her and into the kitchen. I was so ready for this day to be over. This day was the one day a year that I never looked forward to, no matter what else may be going on. Even if I had found out that I made the Best Sellers list on this day, I wouldn't be able to appreciate it.

One of my hands found its way to my hair and attempted to smooth it down. My hair was always crazy, but it got crazier with the number of times I ran my hand through it. It had to be borderline Einstein right now.

The house was quiet now, and I assumed everyone had left. _Well_, I thought lamely, _I may as well do the dishes while I'm here. Save everyone the trouble when they get back._

I sighed and turned on the water, running the first plate underneath it and scrubbing it until it was relatively clean, and then placing it into the dishwasher. And I continued, grateful for something of a routine. Wash, scrub, place. Wash, scrub, place. I didn't even notice that I was being watched from the entryway until she said something.

"Want some help?" Isabella asked.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. When had she gotten there? And why was everyone back already? I voiced my concerns and she laughed.

"I didn't go," she said simply. "They all left. I stayed."

My eyes rolled and I went back to doing the dishes. "Please tell me you didn't stay because of me," I said as I put one of the bigger trays into the bottom part of the dishwasher.

Isabella moved around in the kitchen and started dumping the extra food into the garbage or into a plastic container if there was a lot of it. "I don't know," she said as she sealed a plastic container shut and added it to the pile. "You shouldn't have to stay here by yourself."

"And _you_ shouldn't have to miss out on this because I'm being 'selfish.'" I said, quoting her.

"I won't go until you go," she said. "And I know you'll go sometime today. I know you, Edward. You wouldn't miss out on going to your parents' graves on a day like today. Whether you want people to know it or not, you care too much. It's completely okay, and I don't know why you insist on hiding it, but you do."

I shook my head as I took a towel and dried my hands, leaning back against the counter so I could look at her. "I'm not ashamed to let people know that I care a lot. I couldn't care less who knew. What I care about is spending this day, the lowest day of my life, celebrating like it's some sort of holiday. It seems sick and disgusting."

Her lips twitched to the left as she mulled over what I was telling her. "I don't think they're celebrating anything, Edward. I think it's their way of coping. It's either that, or they want your parents to know that they'll always be remembered." Her voice softened, "Is that so bad?"

"Why can't they just leave it alone? There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my parents. It's not like I'm ever going to forget this day. So why is it so necessary to be together? Just once, I'd love to spend the day by myself."

She let out a longer sigh as she brought a few more dirty plates over to the side of the sink. "So stubborn," she mumbled. "Whatever," she said, her voice a little louder. "Just let me know if you want company to your parents' memorial site." And with that, she left the room.

Immediately, I felt bad. She had only been trying to help, and there I was, always shutting her down. It was hard for me to remember that she could be a good friend when I needed it. Today, we weren't fighting. We had to get along. For my parents' sake. I quickly finished the last of the dishes and started the dishwasher, and then followed after Isabella. If I knew her at all, she was probably either in Alice's room or the living room. And a passing glance into the living room told me she wasn't there.

I climbed the steps until I was at the second story and knocked twice on Alice's old door.

"What," she said flatly.

"Come with me to see my parents?" I asked through the door.

* * *

When we pulled up to the gravesite, I noticed that the whole crew must have already left. We had probably passed them on our way here. I stepped out of the car and shut my door, taking a glance up at the sky.

The night was surprisingly clearer than it had been all day, and with the graveyard not near any big cities, the stars were clear and visible in the sky. It couldn't have been a better night. Part of me kind of wished that it was raining, though, so Isabella would have opted out and not wanted to come with me. I was still a little anxious as to be around someone when I arrived here. But she was being kind, and almost disappearing into the background. She hadn't said a word since we left the house.

She let me lead the way to the graves, the path of which I knew by heart. She even stayed by the nearby tree as I kneeled in front of their neighboring graves. The flowers were obviously fresh, and the scent nearly knocked me back a little. Nevertheless, they looked loved.

_They _were_ loved_, I corrected myself.

"Hi," I whispered quietly. I wasn't sure if it was because I didn't want to disturb the silence that was lingering around us, or if it was because I didn't want Isabella hearing what I was going to say. No one had ever heard me talk to my parents before; I didn't want to sound stupid. I ran a hand over both the graves, clearing away a thin screen of dirt.

"I know it's been a while," I said. "Sorry about that. I've been pretty busy up in Seattle, especially with my new book. My publishing company went out of business, though, so I had to start at a new place. It's nice, though. Jacob Black is one of the publishers there. He got me started in his company. It's kind of nice that so many of us kids went into literature.

"I haven't gotten myself a girlfriend yet, though I've been on a few dates here and there. No one really seems right, you know?" I sighed. "Of course you did, look at the way you two fell in love."

I took another deep breath and shut my eyes. "Sorry I couldn't come with everyone else. I just… I really hate watching other people coo over you guys, even if it's Alice and Emmett. I don't know, maybe I'm selfish, but I don't like sharing my time with you guys." I squeezed my eyes closed even tighter. I kept seeing flashes of my parents, almost as if their lives were flashing before my eyes. I watched all the way up until the last day I saw both of them. Especially the way I treated my mom that day.

I quickly wiped away a tear that leaked out onto my cheek. "I know I've said it before, but I'm sorry, Mom, for the way I treated you that day. I was selfish and stupid and… I'm just really sorry. If there's any way you could forgive me, that'd be…," I drifted off and let out a defeated sigh, "more than I deserve.

"I miss you both more and more each day. I wish, with every passing day, that you were still here. That you'd be here for my wedding eventually, and to see the light on your faces when I have a baby or two. You guys would have made the best grandparents—" I cut off, choking up. I dropped my face into my hands and, like I always tended to do when I came here, broke down.

There was nothing masculine about it, but there was no way to avoid it, either. And at that moment, I didn't really care what Isabella thought of the way I was acting. This wasn't about what she thought, this was about me and my relationship with my parents.

As if she had heard my thoughts, I felt a small body appear to my left. She wrapped one arm around me and ran her hand from my shoulder to my elbow, letting me know it would be okay with her. And I knew it was. I dropped my head down onto her shoulder and tried to take a deep breath. It ended up being uneven and choppy, but it had been worth a shot.

"I miss them so much," I whispered to her.

"I know you do," she said softly, running a hand through my hair. I don't know what it was about that little act, but it always seemed to calm me down. I was able to relax my body a little further into hers and let myself be comforted. It was surprisingly nice to have someone there with me, much nicer than I'd have thought.

"Isabella," I said calmly, "Why are you so nice to me on this day every year?"

She took a moment to think about it before she answered. "Everybody needs somebody, Edward. Alice and Emmett have each other, Esme has Carlisle, Renee has Charlie. You needed someone. I don't mind being that someone." She laughed dryly. "Just don't let anyone see us getting along; what would that do to my rep?"

My eyes shut again and another tear rolled down my cheek. _That_ was why we went back to fighting after this day. _That _was why we couldn't get along. And _that_ was why, as soon as tomorrow came around, we'd go back to fighting.

"Thank you," I told her.

"Anytime, Edward."

And even though we both knew that last statement wasn't true, neither of us acknowledged it. It sounded nice in our little fantasy world, and it seemed neither of us wanted to ruin the moment.

For now, we would just pretend that being like this with each other was easy.

* * *

**A/N:** Just a little plug: I haven't been able to stop reading this story called Let Your Light Shine, by LolaShoes. It's absolutely lemon-tastic. They aren't all necessarily raunchy, though. It's another take on the _Breaking Dawn_ honeymoon, sans Renesmee. But I think it captures Bella and Edward's vampiric relationship really, really well. I absolutely love it. Check it out. :)

Alright, honestly, I'm not a big fan of this chapter. Maybe I was just having a difficult time writing, or was having a bit of a mental block, but I felt like this chapter could have been so much better. And for that, I apologize. :( If I feel up to it, I'll add or change stuff when I update this weekend.

_Until then,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	16. Adjusting

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Here's the bonus Chapter 14. :) Can you believe it? WHWHW only had 17 chapters, and TE will have around 20. And here we are with Cursed, Chapter 14, and not even close to the climax yet. You guys make us so happy. Enjoy, and happy Easter to all those that celebrate it. :D Next chapter will be out Tuesday—it's my favorite chapter to date. It's so much my favorite, that I actually started working on it around Chapter 8. :)

Just a note to those not in the US: Sophomore year is like Grade 10. So in this flashback, they're 15ish. Maybe 16. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 14: **Adjusting

_8 years ago_

It was the first day of sophomore year, and the car was filled with complex emotions.

Edward, who was driving—with Esme in the front seat, of course—was not excited. At all. The only trace of excitement in his veins was from the thrill of driving. He had had his permit for almost three months now, and he liked to think he was getting really good at it. He couldn't wait to get his license so he could drive everyone around.

And speed. He couldn't wait to go fast.

Alice was partly excited, but partly dreading the schoolwork she knew was to come with the new year of high school. She was practically vibrating in her seat with the excitement of seeing all her old friends again. She always felt like there were so many people that she never got to see in the short months that made up summer break.

Bella, on the other hand, was just extremely happy about everything. Not only was she going back to school, which she hadn't lost her love for, but she would be able to see the boy she had been crushing on since his party a few weeks back. Tyler Crowley. She nearly drooled just thinking about him. Of course, there were plenty of girls after him and Bella probably didn't have a chance, but she'd be fine with just watching from afar for now.

She hoped she had some classes with him so she could talk to him. She had tried to talk to him at his party, but he was just so busy with hosting and all the guests that Bella just decided it would be better if she just decided to let it go and talk to him today, maybe. She'd approach him at lunch.

She took a deep breath and glanced out the window to where her peers were climbing up the walkway to the school. She couldn't wait to get inside and get her schedule. Maybe, for the first time ever, she wouldn't have all her classes with Edward. Maybe she'll have some on her own. Bella smiled at the thought of not having to worry about being around Edward in the class.

"Are our schedules going to be under Cullen or Masen?" Alice asked sweetly from next to Bella.

Esme's face fell for a fraction of a second. That previous summer, Emmett and Alice had wanted to add 'Cullen' to their name. Edward, however, was stubborn. He didn't want to be a Masen Cullen. He wanted to be a Masen, and a Masen only. Of course Esme understood why, but it didn't change the fact that she was slightly upset that even after two years, Edward didn't see them as their parents. She and Carlisle weren't trying to replace Ed and Elizabeth's place in the kids' hearts, but she wanted them to be able to see someone they could be close to, someone they could talk to whenever they needed it. A maternal and paternal figure, since they didn't have one anymore.

"I would presume yours, Alice, would be under Cullen, and Edward's would be under Masen," Esme said with a genuine smile. She didn't want to be difficult. She knew Edward was still bitter towards Alice and Emmett about the whole thing. He thought they were betraying their name. But even still, he refrained from saying anything this time.

As they pulled into the drop off area, the kids got out of the car and Esme stepped into the driver's seat.

"Have a great first day," she said to them as she closed the door and pulled forward, taking off back towards the house.

Alice, Edward, and Bella made their way to the front door, Alice chatting away freely, occasionally waving to one of her friends that she didn't see much over the summer. Bella thought it was weird, though. Everyone kept staring at her. Had they found out about her crush on Tyler? Were they laughing at her because he was just so out of her league or something? She knew he was popular, but that wasn't a reason for them to just stare at her. It made her uncomfortable.

As soon as they were in the doors, it was a little overwhelming. Now, with more people, there were so many faces staring and whispering. Bella didn't want to be alone to get her schedule. She reached for Alice, but she was already in line talking to someone, waiting for her schedule. Not to mention, the schedules were separated by last name, and C and S were nowhere near each other.

She slowly made her way to the 'P-T' line and waited behind one of the guys she knew to be on the football team. She glanced around nervously again, trying to determine if there was anyone she knew that she could ask as to why everyone was staring at her.

But as she glanced around the room, she noticed all eyes weren't on her. They were directed towards the 'K-O' line. Or, more specifically, to Edward. Bella watched as Lauren bravely approached him with what she probably thought was a seductive smile.

"Hey, Edward," she said.

"Hi," he replied curtly.

She ran a hand through her hair and puffed out her chest. "Do you think you might be able to help me find my schedule? I'm having some trouble finding it." Her face turned into a pathetic pout.

And although Edward was fighting hard not to snort, he was a guy. He didn't mind some female attention every once in a while. Not to mention, her tits weren't terrible on the eyes, either. Who cared if there was an absurd amount of cleavage in a way-too-low-cut shirt. She was pretty much as easy as they came, but it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't like Edward was planning on dating her.

"Sure, Lauren," he said with a smile. He grabbed his own schedule and shuffled through the papers looking for hers. It was, of course, where it should have been. Just between Jennifer Macdonald and Randy Malone was Lauren Mallory. He handed her the schedule with a smile. "Here you go."

She giggled and grabbed his from his hands and started comparing them. "We have lunch together," she said, "And biology." A smile made its way across her face. "Perfect! You can help me study." She bit her lip and looked up at him through her lashes. "Especially when it comes to studying anatomy," she whispered into his ear as she ran her hand down his chest and played with the top of his pants. "Just let me know if you ever want to _come_ over." She trailed her hand down a little farther and squeezed his crotch.

Edward's eyes bulged as he grabbed her hand and brought it away from himself. "I'll see you in bio, Lauren," he said with a tight-lipped smile as he took back his little paper schedule and headed towards his first class.

Bella watched the whole interaction, a little disgusted. And then she watched as he walked off, only to be practically attacked by another skanky girl. Bella looked down to the table as she reached the front of the line and pulled out her schedule.

"Have you _seen_ him this year?" a voice from behind her asked.

"I know. _Someone _got hot this summer."

The two girls giggled. "It's so hard to believe that little, gangly Edward Masen got a body. And have you seen his hair? So freaking adorable. I just want to run my fingers through it, you know?"

"It's so… bronze and messy. When did it get that sexy? I swear, last year he wasn't like that. Whatever Edward ate this summer, can I have some?"

They laughed and walked away toward their classes. Bella couldn't help but clench her fists at her sides. Why was everyone all over Edward now? Bella spent the entire summer over at the Masen/Cullen house, and she didn't notice anything different about him. He was just the same old Edward that she had known since she was four years old. Sure, Esme had gotten him a membership to the local gym, and yeah, Emmett had been working out with him since he was back from college for the summer, but just because he got a little more muscle didn't mean that he was super hot now. Not to mention his hair had always been bronze and messy.

And running their fingers through his hair? _Please_. Bella was the only one that knew the calming affect that that had on him.

"Bella!" Alice called.

Bella looked over her shoulder to the bouncing pixie. She was dressed head to toe in designer labels, of course, with a loose black tank top and dark blue skinny jeans, complete with her new Manolo Blahniks that she got for the new school year. She looked amazing. Bella felt a little inferior as she stood there in her favorite, most comfortable jeans and a new cute tee shirt.

"Do we have any classes together?" She held out her schedule and Bella put hers next to Alice's so they could compare. They had history, health, and math together.

"Not bad," Bella said with a smile. "And we've got lunch together, which will be nice. Save me a seat? I've got Gains just before, and his classroom is all the way across the school."

Alice put a hand over her heart. "I can't believe you'd think any less of me."

Bella laughed. "See you second period." She spun on her heel and headed down the hallway where her schedule said that her first period class was. Advanced English with Mr. Austin. Thankfully, Forks High wasn't that complicated and the class wasn't hard to find. When she opened up the classroom, it seemed at first as though there was no one in there yet. That surprised her. The first bell had already rung and, although it was the first day and late students were generally excused, Bella was surprised at the lack of people.

But as she stepped into the classroom, she noticed where they had all gone. Edward Masen was sitting up in the back corner, and all the girls—and even a few guys—were surrounding his desk. The giggles that were filling the room nearly blew Bella away. She couldn't help her eyes from rolling.

Up on the board was a prearranged seating chart that told everyone where in the room they were supposed to be. As fate would have it, Bella was sitting next to none other than Edward.

"Of course," she muttered to herself.

She walked up the corner aisle to the table for two where Edward was sitting. Of course, there was a girl already sitting in her seat. Her skirt was insanely short, her shirt way too tight, and her boobs practically massaging Edward's arm with the way she kept rubbing herself against him.

The girl giggled. "You're so funny, Edward."

Bella cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she said.

The girl looked at Bella for about a split second before returning her focus back to Edward. "So then what happened? After you and your brother went to the gym."

He smiled at her. "So I was lifting the weights and then my brother came up to me and was like—"

"Excuse me," Bella said louder, cutting him off. All those around him turned to look at Bella with practically the same glare. "You're in my seat," Bella told her. She flicked her eyebrows upwards once before pursing her lips. Bella folded her arms across her chest and didn't bother backing down. He hadn't had this ridiculous amount of attention any more than an hour and already it was irritating her.

She let out a frustrated huff and stood up so Bella's seat was empty.

"Thank you," she spat sarcastically as she took her seat next to the new most popular guy in school. She opened her backpack and pulled out her designated English notebook and a pencil, setting it on her desk and getting ready. She didn't even flinch when she looked up and saw all the glares from the trampy girls surrounding the table. She didn't even falter in the slightest when she saw the nasty look Edward was shooting her.

Thankfully, before she could get very uncomfortable, the second bell rang and all the girls returned to their seats.

"You didn't need to do that, you know," Edward said. "It was completely unnecessary."

"I don't agree. She was in my seat and I needed it back."

"But you didn't have to be ru—"

"Mr. Masen, Ms. Swan," Mr. Austin interrupted. "This isn't the best way to start out the school year. Mr. Masen, would you mind reading the first paragraph of the syllabus?"

Edward shot Bella a look that clearly said 'this conversation isn't over' before he read aloud Mr. Austin's syllabus.

* * *

When the bell rang for lunch, Bella couldn't wait to get away from Edward. As fate would have it, not only was Edward in every one of her classes—again—but they sat next to each other, too. Usually that's where she could guarantee time away from him; most teachers sat people in alphabetical order by either first or last name. And since B and E weren't very close to each other and S and M weren't very close to each other, that wasn't usually a problem.

She had had entirely too much Edward Time today.

She all but sprinted to the lunch room, smiling broadly when she saw Alice sitting at a table with Angela, Ben, and one of Ben's friends who she couldn't remember the name of.

Alice waved Bella over and she sat down, pulling out her bagged lunch and taking a look at the food.

"How was your summer, Bella?" Angela asked kindly. Angela and Bella had always gotten along, ever since they had a class together back in the sixth grade. She had always been a genuinely kind person, and Bella couldn't have been happier when she and Ben started dating. They were both a little quiet, but they were perfect for each other.

"It was nice. Peaceful," Bella replied. "How was yours?"

"Pretty good," she said with a smile, squeezing Ben's hand. "You remember John, right?" She gestured to Ben's friend.

"Of course," Bella said, nodding towards him. "It's good to see you again." She took out her apple and spun it around once in her hand before she took a big bite from the side.

"So, Bella," Alice said in a sarcastic tone. "You going to go over and talk to Tyler today?" Alice wasn't shy about the fact that she didn't approve of Bella's little crush on Tyler. She thought he was a little egotistical and prided himself on the amount of girls he had after him.

Bella bit her lip and gazed over to where Tyler was sitting by himself at a lunch table, ignoring the disdain in Alice's voice. He looked a little frustrated, but Bella wasn't deferred. "Yeah," she said, setting down her apple. "I'm going to go over there right now." She stood up and, despite the butterflies in her stomach, walked over to Tyler's table. He didn't even look up as she sat down in front of him. "Hey, Tyler," she said.

"Hey, Bella. How was your summer?"

"Good, and yours?" She couldn't help the fidgeting of her fingers. She was incredibly nervous. _It's just Tyler_, she reminded herself. _The same Tyler you've gone to school with since kindergarten._

"Fine," he replied curtly. "Wish I could say the same for right now." He shot a longing look over to another table. "I've lost all the girls that usually sit here to _that guy_."

Bella glanced up to where Tyler was staring. Of course, it was Edward and his new posse of teenage skanky girls. Bella scoffed. "Don't worry about him," Bella said, waving her hand in the air. "He's just eating up the attention. I think it's just a phase. It'll blow over."

Tyler sighed and his eyes met Bella's. "Let's hope," he said. His fork picked at his lunch on the school tray. He didn't like the fact that Edward was so popular all the sudden. It was too weird. Not to mention, Tyler wasn't used to not being completely lavished in attention. He couldn't comprehend what had changed, and why he was suddenly being dropped like a fly.

"So, you had a great party a few weeks ago," Bella commented.

"You were there?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

Bella's heart fell a little bit. He hadn't noticed? "Yeah. I guess."

"You guess? Were you or weren't you?"

"I was."

Tyler put a small bite of the mashed potatoes into his mouth. "Yeah, my parents were pissed that it got so messy. I spent all the next day cleaning. It was a bitch." He looked over to Edward's table again and frowned. "Edward wasn't there, then."

Bella was confused. "Where, at the party?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he didn't go to the party. I would have noticed if he had, right? This wouldn't have crept up on me like this. It wouldn't be so sudden."

Bella was getting sick of listening to Tyler complain about Edward. It seemed as though he couldn't focus on anything more than the girls' newfound interest in Edward, and even after only a few minutes of conversation, Bella was irritated. If this was what he was like all the time, she shouldn't waste her time.

She sighed. "I should probably get back to Alice." She waited a few moments to see if he'd say anything, like maybe he would want her to stay, but he didn't say anything. He just nodded and kept his eyes trained on the table in the corner.

When Bella returned to her table, Alice had a knowing grin on her face. "How'd it go?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" Bella grumbled as she took another bite of her apple.

Alice's smug expression didn't leave her face for the rest of lunch.

* * *

The second the final bell rang, Bella let out a long exhale. This period was the only one where she didn't sit next to Edward. Instead, she sat next to Alice. Bella stormed out of the classroom furiously and headed toward the front of the school. Alice was close on her trail.

"That _would_ happen to me again," Bella muttered, mostly to herself.

"What would?" Alice asked as she waved to one of her friends.

"I'd have all my classes with Edward. _Again_. I'm so tired of it, Alice. Have you seen the group of girls that follows him now? It makes me want to puke." The two girls exited the school and started walking to the usual meeting spot, where Esme would be picking them up.

Alice chuckled. "Yeah, I noticed. Apparently my brother got hot over the summer." She shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like there's anything either of us can do about it, you know? It's probably best we just ignore it and leave him be. It'll blow over soon enough."

Bella looked over her shoulder at the door of the school. "Let's hope," she said, repeating Tyler's words from earlier. "You aren't the one, though, that has to deal with him and his groupies through _every single class_ this year. I just hope I don't snap." She sighed dramatically. "It'd be such a shame for those girls to mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night, wouldn't it?" The girls laughed. "Seriously, though. They all hate me. It just pisses me off that they dislike me so much for no reason. And then to top it off they won't leave me alone."

"They won't leave you alone because you have every class with Edward. I think that's more him than you."

"Whatever, Alice. I'm tired of it nevertheless."

Alice stopped, halting Bella in her tracks. "We should wait for him. Esme wouldn't be happy to know we just left him there to fend for himself."

"Like he can't 'fend for himself.' The kid's being attacked by hormonal teenage girls, not wolves." Bella watched the front doors, waiting for him to appear. Sure enough, a few minutes later Edward clambered through the doors with his usual group of girls after him.

"Call me tonight, Edward!" one of them called after him. He threw a hand up over his shoulder at them.

"I'm free Friday. Pick me up at seven?" another one asked. He ignored them.

Lauren threw her arms around his neck and attempted to plant a kiss on him. He turned his head at the last minute, though, so she awkwardly kissed his ear. Gently, he pried her arms off from around him and went to where Alice and Bella were standing.

"What a day, huh?" he said with a cocky smile.

"Yeah, don't let it get to your head," Alice replied with a roll of her eyes. She caught up with Bella, who had started walking the second she saw Edward was free of the pack.

"You just don't understand, little sister," Edward said, the arrogance rolling off him in waves. "It's something that comes with age. You're just going to have to get used to it."

Alice rolled her eyes. "You're three minutes older, kid."

"It's still older," he said with a laugh. He was obviously in a good mood. Then again, who wouldn't be if they were being hounded by attractive girls all day? Edward was surprised when he walked into school that so many girls seemed to be interested, but it didn't stop him from absorbing the attention like water to a sponge.

He was still smiling. It was nice to be wanted. It was a nice change from the hectic business at home. He was practically skipping to Esme's car, he was so euphoric. He had seven date requests that had to be returned.

As the trio got in the car, Esme smiled. "How was the first day back, kids?"

_What a loaded question_, both Edward and Bella thought simultaneously.

* * *

**A/N:** **IMPORTANT! READ!** So I've got a challenge for all you readers. :) It's a little hard though, so be aware of that. We've been getting an increasing number of reviews as the chapters go on. However, I'm here to bribe you. If you can get us to 300 or more reviews, we'll post a double chapter on Tuesday night. And trust me, you'll want the double chapter. Chapter 15 has a terrible cliffhanger. It's completely in your hands, and I know it's a lot of reviews (it'll be 84 or more reviews) but I think you guys can do it. There's enough of you out there that read this every update, I just want to know what you guys think. :)

Also, we've gotten a few comments about you all being anxious for there to be some serious sparks between our favorite pair. And let me just say this: this plot is, in fact, _about_ them getting together. If we let them get together in the first 5 chapters, we'd be out of plot. And what would be the fun in that? However, you don't have to wait much longer. The next chapter, as I said, has been highly anticipated by Ben and me. There will be—dare I say it—a little… _romance_? What?! You didn't hear it from me. But keep an eye out for it. It's a pretty important part to this story. It starts the ball rolling on this plot, mmmkay?

Love you.

_Until Tuesday,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	17. Drunken Nights

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** So we didn't get to 300. :( But we did, however, get to 255, which is more comments than we've ever gotten on any one chapter. Unfortunately, I won't be posting the double chapter tonight. But if we get to 300 by Friday, I'll post this weekend. :) For updates on how everything is going, check out mine and Ben's blog, callieforniabenches(dot)blogspot(dot)com. Replace the (dot)s with periods, of course. That'll tell you if we will or won't post. :)

This is the chapter that I (Allie) have been waiting for, pretty much since we started writing this story. This will be, by far, my favorite chapter that I've ever written. The only one that rivals it is Imperishable Ties from What He Would Have Wanted. (Best. Chapter. Ever.) It's extra long for you guys, too. Nearly 1,000 words longer than an average chapter. :D Anyway, here we go.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 15:** Drunken Nights

**BPOV**

When the six of us got up the next morning to drive home, I was nervous. After last night and the intimacy that Edward and I shared, it seemed like we wouldn't be back to our old ways of fighting. Seeing Edward so weak... it was something I hadn't seen since the day they died. It was hard to deal with again. It brought back memories that I knew were uncomfortable for both of us.

The house was relatively silent as we all got ready. Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie all had to get back to work by ten, so we had all decided the night before to get a good head-start on the day and leave before the sun was up.

Granted, it was an ungodly hour of the day, but no one said that I needed to dress nicely. Which was why, as I hauled my stuff downstairs, I was in sweatpants, one of Jacob's old sweatshirts that was like seven sizes too big for me, and my hair was pulled up into a messy bun. I didn't even bother putting my contacts in, so I was still in my glasses.

When I approached the entryway, I noticed that everyone was coupled off, except for Edward. I assumed the rides would be the same as they were on the way there, and even though that put me with Edward, I was kind of hoping it would give us time to maybe talk things out. Yeah, he and I always got along on the anniversary of his parents' death, but last night was different. It was much more personal, as opposed to the usual shoulder to cry on. He let me witness something that was important to him.

But as I stepped closer to him, he took a step back. I looked up, confused.

He cleared his throat once. "Maybe you should drive home with Alice," he suggested, running a hand over the back of his neck.

I stared at him a moment, so I could judge if he was being serious. When he wouldn't meet my eyes, I knew he was. My face flushed, partly from embarrassment and partly from anger, but mostly because it _hurt_. I was surprised how hurt I was. I thought things were different.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked quietly through clenched teeth.

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

"I think it is," I said, grabbing his arm and stepping out onto the porch, ignoring the stares from the others. I closed the door behind us and spun to face him. "What the hell is your problem?" I asked.

He still didn't have the courage to meet my eyes. "Nothing is my problem. I just think it would be better for you to ride home with Alice and Jasper."

I let out a short breath that clearly called his bluff. "What happened between last night and now that has you acting like this? I don't understand you, Edward. I'm _trying_ to be civil. Do you know how hard that is when you're acting the way you are right now?"

He mumbled something under his breath. The only word I caught was "reputation."

"What?" I snapped, getting irritated by his lack of cooperation. "If you have something to say to me, man up and say it already."

Edward's eyes finally snapped up to meet mine, and I was taken back by the fire behind them. "You want me to say what I want to say to you?" I nodded. "Alright. Here's what I want to say: I don't want you in my car. At all. You don't shut up and I know you're going to want to 'talk' and shit and I don't want to deal with that. So why don't we just fucking pretend last night never happened, because nothing like that is going to happen again. I don't need you. I never have, you just never left me alone. I don't need your fucking sympathy, alright? So you can climb back up on your high horse and ride off into the sunset. At least then, you won't be near me." And with that, he strode straight out to his car and took off.

When Alice opened the door a few minutes later, I was still staring where I his car had disappeared down the road. And I was pretty sure there were even a few tears streaming down my face. As many times as Edward and I had fought before, he had never made me cry.

"Come on, Bella," Alice said comfortingly, placing a hand on my back and leading me toward the car. "Let's go home. I'm having a party tonight, remember?" Something in the back of my mind remembered it, but I wasn't sure I could acknowledge it. "Why don't we go home and get you all prettied up, and then you can get wasted tonight at my party, okay? It'll make you feel better."

I nodded, taking the bag she handed to me and sitting in the backseat of Jasper's car.

I don't remember the ride home, or anything of Alice's attempts to pretty me up.

All I knew now was that I was standing in the corner of a rave-like dance party, my hair curled and wearing one of Alice's old designer shirts and a pair of jeans that felt like they had been painted on. Oh, and there was a drink in my hand. I was pretty sure there had been a drink in my hand since the second I entered the door.

The party was taking place in the garage of one of Alice's insanely rich friends; it was easily the size of my entire apartment. The lights were all off, with the exception of a few strobe lights and flashing multicolored lights. Overall, it had the feeling of an old high school party, except without the mass use of drugs. That was a little too high school for the people here.

The alcohol, however, came in waterfalls—literally. There was a tequila fountain only a few feet to my left, complete with a massive shelf of shot glasses.

I had already danced with a few guys, but it got to a point where I felt so terribly drunk that I stopped dancing, for fear of taking everyone around me out. Alcohol made my natural clumsiness increase tenfold, and no guy wanted to dance with someone who was constantly tripping and stumbling over nothing. So at this point, I had made it my home over here next to the tequila fountain and the bar.

Where, as Alice advised, I got more and more wasted.

I blew a breath up, making my bangs fly into the air, and set down my drink. I couldn't remember the name, but Alice had been bringing them to me all night. And whatever they were, they were strong. But right now, I just wanted a wine cooler.

Slowly but surely, I made my way over to the bar and asked for one. As soon as I got it, I decided I should spend some time outside. It may have been the alcohol, but I was definitely too warm in here. Some fresh air would probably do me some good.

As I got outside and sat on the curb, I could feel myself sobering up lightly, but not as much as I'd have liked. I never particularly liked the feeling of being drunk, I thought as I took another sip of the wine cooler. I wasn't really sure why I was still drinking, but it gave me something to do.

I let out a sigh and set my drink down on the pavement, resting my weight back on my hands. It was a really pretty night. The day had been nothing but clouds, but sometime during the time I had been at the party, the wind had blown enough to clear out the clouds and reveal a lovely sky, sprinkled with stars and splattered with a big round moon, right in the center. I sighed. It would be the perfect scene for a romance novel. Maybe my next one would have its climax here.

A second later though, I felt like I was being watched. I whipped my head around to survey my surroundings. And there, leaning against the pillar on the porch with drink in hand, was none other than Edward himself.

"Hi," he said.

Maybe I was drunk. Maybe he was drunk. Or maybe, just for the night, we could give in to each other and set our differences aside. Either way, I wasn't going to fight him off tonight. Tonight, we would communicate. And I couldn't see it as being terrible.

"Hi," I replied.

"Can I join you?" He pushed himself from the pillar without an answer and made his way over to me.

He sat down next to me, close but not too close. Just enough so it was respectable, but not too far so it seemed as though he was disgusted by me. If I wanted, I probably could have reached over and grabbed his drink, which he had set next to mine.

It was silent, but not quite uncomfortable. Surprising, considering who I was with.

"Nice night," he commented quietly, almost like if he spoke any louder, he would break the moment.

"Mhmm," I said, taking a sip of my drink.

And then the silence covered us again like a warm blanket. I shivered, and I wasn't sure whether it was from the slight chill or from the intimacy of the moment. My mind was confused. It wasn't used to moments like this with Edward, aside from the once-in-a-blue-moon feeling. My mind automatically wanted to reject everything he said, but my body was drunk. And therefore my mind wasn't thinking correctly.

"You cold?" he asked, shrugging out of his hoodie and handing it over to me.

I stared at it for a long moment as if it was diseased. I glanced at him, and then back at the hoodie. "Okay," I said, taking it from his hands and draping at around my shoulders. I had never realized how good he smelled. Now, with the smell enveloping me, I couldn't help but close my eyes and hold the hoodie up to my nose.

"Smells good," I mumbled. Immediately, I wanted to take it all back. I hated being drunk; I had no filter. He was looking at me curiously. "I'm sorry," I said, "Don't leave because of my stupidity. I still want to talk to you." Or, at least that's what I think I said. It came out much more slurred together.

"I won't," he said. His speech, too, was slightly slurred, but it didn't sound as bad as mine.

I pulled his jacket tighter around me and tried to get the warmth circulating.

"Why do you hate me?" I asked bluntly. Again, I wanted to slap my hand over my mouth. Not only did it just sound whiny, there were so many other—more tactful—ways I wanted to bring it up.

"I don't," he said. "I don't hate you."

"Yes you do," I accused as I felt a pout form over my lips. "You hate me. You love to watch me fail. It's what we both live for; don't try to deny it."

I watched as his brows furrowed. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again. "I don't hate you," he repeated in a different tone. It almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself of the same thing. "Really, I don't." His tone was a little more confident that time.

"Yes," I said. "That's why you always go back to hating me whenever there's a moment where we're nice to each other. Like we always get along whenever it gets to the day your parents died, but the next day you hate me again." I pouted. "I don't get it."

His head tilted lightly to the side. "I thought you didn't _want_ to get along. You kept saying things like it would ruin your repetition."

"Reputation," I corrected with a swig of my wine cooler.

"That's what I said."

"No."

"Yes."

"See? _This_ is what I'm talking about!" I gestured between the two of us. "We can't agree on _anything_." I let out a frustrated noise and buried my head in my hands. "I'm tired of fighting, Edward." I pretended to wave a little white flag. "I give up, okay?"

He watched me closely. Or, well, I thought he was watching me closely. Not only was _my_ vision spinning, but his eyes looked like they couldn't really stay focused, either. "Have you ever thought that there might be able to be something…," he drifted off, gesturing drunkenly with his hands, "…romantic between you and me?" he asked curiously.

"What?" I asked, giving him a look that I hoped would convey how ridiculous he sounded.

"Just answer the question."

I shrugged. "Nope," I said as I took another swig of my wine cooler.

"'Nope' you haven't, or 'nope' you won't answer?"

"I haven't." I paused and looked over at him. "Why, have you?"

"No," he said, repeating my actions and taking a sip of his beer. "Wanna give it a shot?"

I looked at him. He was shitfaced, that much was clear. His eyes were droopy, his face was flushed, and he was swaying lightly, even though he was sitting down. But I was shitfaced, too. So why couldn't we be shitfaced together? My drunken mind was made perfect sense of it all. We were both drunk, so what was stopping us from doing something we'd both likely regret later?

Nothing, that's what.

My shoulders shrugged and I looked over at him. "'Kay."

He moved forward slowly so our faces were closer together. I watched as his eyes moved from mine, to my lips, and back again. He was going to kiss me? Immediately, I decided I wasn't sure if I wanted this. When he asked if we should try it, I don't know what else I was expecting. But I guess… this made sense with what he was saying. But now, I wasn't really comfortable with him being this close to me. I wanted to take it back, to say that I didn't want to give this a shot.

I mean _ew_. It was _Edward_.

But it was too late. He was already moving in for the kill. I'd have to tough it out.

So slow that I was pretty sure it was in slow-motion, the distance between our lips lessened and lessened until they were finally touching. And it… wasn't what I expected. His lips were soft, but firm. Warm, but cool. It was surprisingly… Edward.

And it wasn't all bad.

The kiss was chaste and over relatively quickly. We put a little space between our lips and ended up looking straight into each other's eyes. But it wasn't so much the romantic 'get-lost-into-the-gaze-of-the-other' type of look, it was more of a 'so…I-think-we-just-kissed' look.

"Huh," I said.

He replied with a "Hmm" before tilting his head slightly like he was pondering something.

"So…," I said awkwardly. "What'd you think?" I wasn't sure that was the right question to ask after a first kiss, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. And he wasn't saying anything. If there was one thing I hated, it was awkward silences. I always felt like they had to be filled or I would likely go crazy.

"I think… I may need to try again," he said. "And, not to sound forward, but I think I'm going to need a little to tongue to be sure."

"Be sure of what?" I asked.

He didn't answer, though. Instead, he just leaned in again—quicker this time—and pressed his lips to my own. Now that I was over the initial shock of Edward kissing me, I was able to sit back and enjoy it, which was a definite plus. This was a much hotter kiss, filled with much more lust and passion than the previous one. And I wouldn't lie: Edward's kissing skills deserved some props. He knew just when to be light, and when to press harder against my lips. He knew when to cradle my face and when threading his fingers into my hair would feel the best.

And most of all, he knew the perfect time for tongue.

His tongue hovered lightly over my slightly parted lips, asking permission without bluntly asking permission. I could feel the heat of his tongue, but it wasn't bothersome as it waited almost patiently for me to part my lips further. So I did. And, just as I had expected, his tongue probed lightly against mine.

He tasted strongly of beer, but there was something else in there. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I had a feeling it was a distinctive 'Edward' taste that I wouldn't find anywhere else. It was sweet, but still masculine.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and tangled one of my hands into the bottom part of his hair, tugging lightly. He seemed to like that, as he let out a sigh that remotely resembled a moan and tangled his tongue even further with my own. So I did it again and he let out a louder groan, dropping his hands from my hair and to my back, pulling me closer against him.

"God damn," he said, breaking our lips apart. "That was…"

"I know," I finished for him, bringing one of my hands from behind his neck and touching my lips lightly. Did that really just happen? Did I really just have a hot, satisfying make-out session with Edward Masen?

"My place?" he asked gruffly, his voice a little husky from lack of breath.

I took about a millisecond to think it over. _If a mere _kiss _was _that_ good, how amazing would the sex be?_ "Lead the way," I said, taking his hand and pulling him to a standing position.

We both kind of stumbled our way over to his car. And it was then that it occurred to me: neither of us were in the position to drive.

"Edward," I said, nearly tearing his arm from his socket when I stopped so abruptly.

"What?"

"I can't drive. Neither can you. I lost count of the number of drinks I had after like hour one. So we either need to walk, or call a cab. I really don't want to get in an accident tonight, alright? No," I said, "I don't want to deal with her stupid harassment. Let's get a—"

Before I could finish my sentence, Edward had two fingers in his mouth and was whistling really loud. I dropped his hand and clasped my own over my ears. "Ow, damn it," I cursed as he whistled. "That fucking hurt."

But fate, for the first time, seemed to be working with us because a second later a cab rounded the corner and pulled to a stop in front of us.

I removed my hands from my ears. "Oh," I said. "That's convenient."

* * *

We burst into Edward's apartment, limbs tangled almost as badly as our tongues. I'd had some good kisses in my life, but never as good as Edward's. His mouth was hot as it pressed against mine, placing passionate kisses on my lips.

He closed the door behind us and pressed me up against it, his erection pressing hard into my stomach. This was so surreal. _I_ got _Edward_ this excited. Edward_ Masen_. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. But I couldn't dwell for much longer. Partially because I was afraid that I might stop, but also because his hands were moving under my shirt and coming in contact with my bare skin.

I shivered.

My legs somehow found their way around his hips and his hands moved from my back to my ass, cupping it as he walked toward his room.

"God, Bella," he whispered huskily as his lips traveled from my lips to my neck, sucking hard. I'd have a hickey in the morning, that was for sure. But I couldn't bring myself to care. "What are you _doing _to me?"

We reached his room and he threw me down, landing squarely on top of me, his weight covering me like a security blanket. His lips secured themselves to mine again as his hands started to travel. They ran under my shirt again and up my back, bunching the shirt a little higher up my stomach. When they came out, they brushed up the front of my shirt, skimming lightly over my breasts, to my shoulders so he could shove off his hoodie.

As soon as he had discarded it on the floor next to his bed, I reached up and ran my hands up his chest, pulling his shirt up in the process. Our lips separated for a quick moment as I tore it all the way off and tossed it somewhere in the room.

I started to fumble with his pants, but wasn't having any luck. Between the nerves and alcohol, nothing was going right. He kissed his way to my ear.

"You're wearing entirely too many clothes," he said breathily.

He placed a hand over mine on his pants and took it away, quickly pulling my shirt further up on my chest so my bra was showing. When I arched my back to help him get it all the way off, he groaned and dropped his head into my neck for a brief moment. His breath was heavy on my shoulder as he laid kiss after kiss in a trail from my shoulder, to my neck, to my jaw, and eventually back to my lips before he pulled my shirt over my head and added it to the growing pile of clothes on the floor.

We made out like that for a while, his hands eventually wandering to my breasts over my bra.

I scraped my nails lightly over his chest as I brought them down to his pants, finally undoing them and pushing them down his legs. He got the idea and kicked them off at the end of the bed, and the act was quickly reciprocated.

So there I was, drunk and down to only my bra and panties with Edward Masen, in his bed. If someone had told me three hours ago that this was where I would be right now, I'd have laughed in their face and taken another drink. Then again, if someone had told me that I'd _ever_ end up here, I'd probably have the same reaction.

Feeling a little bold, I reached back and unclasped my bra, waiting for him to completely take it off. He didn't even wait a half a second before tossing it across the room. I was pretty sure I saw it land on the lamp in the corner, but I couldn't be sure. I didn't have time to check, because his mouth had descended from my lips to my neck, and then finally down to my naked chest.

If I thought that Edward's mouth on mine had been amazing, it was nothing compared to the feeling of his lips and tongue dancing along my breasts. I arched my back and let out an embarrassingly loud moan before wrapping my fingers into his hair to keep him there.

But that obviously wasn't the right thing to do.

I had always known that hands in his hair relaxed him, but I had no idea to what extent. The second my fingers entered his hair, he stopped moving his mouth and instead collapsed his head in between my breasts.

"Edward?" I asked, lifting my head up drowsily.

I noticed his eyes were fluttering closed, and his breathing was becoming more even. Damn it, the man was falling asleep. Or passing out, I wasn't sure which. I dropped my head back onto the pillow and brought one of my hands from his hair and brought it to my head, trying to figure out what to do.

But about a second after I closed my eyes to concentrate, I was out like a light.

* * *

**A/N: **How's that for romance and lust? :) Haha. I kept getting reviews that were saying how people were tired of them fighting, and they wanted some romance. So I made this. Haha. So now you're going to have to see how they feel when they wake up tomorrow morning. Is this going to be good or bad for our couple? :)

Just a note: I know it wasn't made super clear, but Bella was completely wasted. I know none of the quotes were slurred or anything, but I tried to acknowledge that when she said_ "At least that's what I think I said. It came out much more slurred together."_ It just kind of showed that she heard herself clearly, even though she was wasted. She made sense to herself, and that was what mattered to her.

_Until... well, whenever you guys decide,_

cALLIEfornia BENches


	18. Repercussions

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N: **Not much up here, except I've got a massive list of shout outs. :)

**A butt-load of shout outs: **I just wanted to make a few shout outs because, even though I love each and every one of you, these guys are the ones that make my day: to motzartandi, YankeeDiva, PyroWhore, and Jasper winked for always reviewing, pretty much ever since day one, to Lexie2516 and sakurarwr for guessing what was going to happen the morning after, to blackmist101 for making me laugh with her review which promptly started out with "(slams head on desk)", to Ivygirl702 for always, always actually _thanking _us for updating, even if we're late, to BlackBerry88 for leaving quite possibly the nicest review ever (that made my ego the size of Seattle), to phoenixhunter47 for telling me that Cursed updates make her bad days better (and for reviewing all the time, of course), and to Emma for putting into words what I've been trying to say for like 5 chapters now: "Those who say that they want to be together already are silly, its the before a relationship that makes good reading."

Enjoy Chapter 16. :D

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 16:** Repercussions

**BPOV**

When I woke up the next morning, my head was absolutely pounding. The light in the room certainly wasn't helping, either.

I groaned and buried my head into my pillow. Or... I thought it was my pillow. It was oddly warm and a little too firm to be my pillow. As I got a little more conscious, I became aware that there were two arms wrapped tightly around my waist, as well as two legs wrapped in my own underneath the covers.

_Shit. What did I do last night?_

I struggled to remember exactly what happened. The last thing I remembered was the really good drink Alice kept bringing me. I only remembered having like two or three, and then after that the entire rest of the night was black.

Needless to say, I was terrified to open my eyes. There was definitely a man in bed with me. And, as I assessed my senses further, I was practically naked. There might have been panties on, but I couldn't tell for sure. Whoever I was in bed with might have had boxers on, and I just couldn't tell the difference between mine and theirs. Unfortunately, that's the only piece of clothing I could feel.

_Fuck._ I had sex with someone last night.

And I do _not_ do one night stands. I've never believed in them. I always thought they were trampy and not worth my time. If I was going to have sex with someone, I was going to have a relationship with them.

The man that was in bed with me with took a deep breath in his sleep and unconsciously pulled me closer to him.

Alright. I could do this. Moment of truth. I squinted one eye open against the sunlight peeking in through the window and looked up towards the man that I would have to try and get to date me.

What I saw made me want to start crying.

Because when I looked up, Edward Masen was the one in bed with me. Edward Masen was the one with his arms around me. Edward Masen was the one that had little to no clothing on. Edward Masen was the man I had sex with last night.

I had sex with Edward Masen last night.

Edward Masen and I had sex.

Like... legit sex.

Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.

And although I wanted nothing more than to just run away jumping and screaming, I wasn't sure what I would do if he woke up. I would have to be cautious and careful. Careful and cautious. Carefully cautious. Cautiously careful.

Fuck, I was driving myself insane. My mind-splitting headache wasn't helping matters, either. It just made me want to curl up into a ball and sleep all day, as I usually did when I had a hangover. Especially one this bad. But before I could do anything, I had to get out of this room. I had to leave before he woke up, or things would get weird. And I didn't even want to _think _about how awkward it would be. For both of us.

Moving as little as possible, I surveyed my surroundings. Edward was, of course, in bed with me. But I was pleased to see that we both had our underwear on. At least we had the decency to put on a little clothing after sleeping together. I couldn't say the same, however, for my bra. I saw it perched perfectly on top of the lamp he had over in the corner of his room. I wanted to groan. That meant I would have to get up, naked, and gather my things.

Maybe if I just gathered all my things, I could get dressed in the hall and sneak back over to my place.

I glanced around the room, taking mental notes as to where my clothes were. Once I knew I had them all on my list, I attempted to get out of Edward's embrace. Holding my breath, I gently clasped one hand around his wrist and lifted it from behind my back. It was surprisingly difficult to lift, but I figured deadweight was pretty heavy.

As soon as I got the one arm back on his side, I reached up and grabbed the pillow above my head. And slowly—oh-so-slowly—replaced the pillow with where my body had been, rolling sideways on the bed.

He started moving, and I immediately froze, terrified that he was waking up. I was pretty sure my heart completely stopped beating for about ten seconds while I watched him put his arms back around the pillow that I had set there.

I gently got off the bed and started gathering my clothing, closing the bedroom door behind me as quietly as possible.

As soon as it was shut, I leaned my head against it and let out a huge breath. I quietly threw on my clothes from last night, making sure my keys and phone were still in my pocket, and went to his door. For a split second, I thought about leaving him a note. But then, if he had been as wasted as I was last night, he wouldn't remember anything today. And ignorance is bliss, right?

I crept out into the hall and went to my door. Just as I slipped the key into the lock, I heard a chuckle from behind me. I jumped, thinking it was Edward. But when I turned around, Craig's smug face was leaning against his apartment doorjamb.

"Well, lookie here," he said with a smile. "Is this a Walk of Shame that I'm witnessing? And from Mr. Masen's room, nevertheless?" He let out a sound that I think was supposed to be a sexy growl. "Well, it's about time. The sexual tension between you two could be severed with a butter knife. I'm just glad you both got some lovin'. I was beginning to think that you'd go forever without having some good sex. So tell me, Swan. How was he?"

I gritted my teeth. "Craig, don't tell Edward you saw me leave this morning, okay? I'm kind of hoping he won't remember that we slept together last night. It'll be easier for both of us that way, alright?"

"Whatever you say, lamb chop." He didn't move from his doorway, instead watching me until I was fully in my room.

As soon as the door was closed, I rested my back against it. I was still having a hard time getting it through my head that I actually had _sex_ with Edward Masen. I had so many questions I wanted to ask him. But I couldn't. Did he even remember? Had we used protection? Should I be worried about pregnancy or STIs?

And the biggest question of all: did he enjoy it? Hell, did _I_ enjoy it? What happened now? I'd never had a one night stand before. Ever. And I told myself that if I did, I'd start a relationship with them. Did he want a relationship with me? We'd have a lot of shit to talk about if that was the case.

Truth be told, I didn't want to talk about all of it right then. I wanted to go to bed. Alone.

A look at the clock told me it was rounding eleven. Maybe Alice would be up and I could ask her for some advice on how to handle it all. He was, after all, her brother.

I whipped out my phone and quickly dialed her number.

"Hello?" she answered groggily. I knew she was probably at least a little hung over.

"Alice," I said, biting my lip. Now that I was going to have to say it out loud, it was really hitting me. My eyes started to water a little, but I did what I could to hold it back. I didn't want her to know that something like this was affecting me so much. "Alice, I did something really bad."

I heard rustling and Jasper's tired voice asking her to come back to bed. "Bella, what happened? Are you alright?" I heard a door close and I knew she was finally out of her bedroom. "You left so early last night. I didn't even say goodbye to you. Or, if I did, I don't remember it. But I wasn't _that_ drunk last night, so I don't think I'd forget."

"I'm fine," I said, trying to gain the nerve to tell her. My eyes squeezed shut and I slid to the floor, burying my head in my free hand. "Do you think you could come over for a little bit?"

"Of course, Bella."

"I'll leave the door unlocked. Just come in. I'll be in the bedroom."

"Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

When she knocked on my bedroom door about a half hour later, I sat up from where I had been laying down and curled my knees into my chest. "Come on in," I told her. She entered my bedroom and sat down on the other side and crossed her legs underneath her. I knew she was curious as to what was going on, but she would wait for me to initiate the conversation.

Deciding it was probably best if I just came out with it, I placed my hands over my face. "I slept with Edward," I mumbled.

"What? Bella, you're going to have to speak up if you want my help."

I took a deep breath and braced myself to repeat the dreaded phrase. The entire time I was waiting for her to get over here, I repeated the phrase over and over again, preparing myself. "I slept with Edward, okay?" I said, louder. An involuntary groan made its way from my throat and I dropped my head to my knees.

She was silent for a good few minutes. "Uhm. You mean like you happened to fall asleep in the same place, right?" Despite the question, her voice just sounded like it was in denial.

I simply shook my head. "I...," I hesitated, still having a little trouble with this part. "I had... _sex_... with Edward." Sex sounded like a dirty word coming from my mouth, but I couldn't help it. I felt dirty for even doing it.

"Let me clarify," she said. I wasn't sure what was so hard to understand about the statement, but I let her continue anyway. "You, as in Isabella Marie Swan, had sex, as in sexual intercourse, penis-and-vagina sex, with Edward." I closed my eyes and nodded. "And we're talking about Edward Masen, right? There's not another Edward that I'm just missing here?"

I shook my head. "It was your brother."

She let out a big breath. "Right. Okay." Her brows furrowed as if she wasn't sure what to say. "Well, you definitely did do something bad."

"You think I don't know that? Fuck, Alice. That's not helping."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know. I'm just... Wow, Bella. Not only am I surprised at your having a one night stand, but the last person I would expect for you to have one with would be Edward. Can I just ask... why?"

I lifted my head up and banged it on the wall behind me. "I was wasted and so was he, of course. I don't think there would be any way either of us would do that sober. I don't remember how it got started. Hell, I don't even remember how it was. I don't remember anything about last night, except for like the first hour or so of the party. And even _that's_ hazy."

"Alright, alright. Let's take a few deep breaths here and think a few things through before we make huge assumptions. You said you don't remember anything, right?" I didn't answer, and just waited for her to go on. "Well, maybe you didn't actually sleep together. I mean, how would you know, right?" She sounded as hopeful as I felt, but I think we both knew I was fucked. No pun intended.

"Alice, I woke up in his bed. Naked."

That threw her. "Oh."

I let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, you can say that again."

"Okay. Seriously, Bella. Why don't you just go take a shower, clean everything—and I mean _everything_—off? Clean yourself, and then we'll come back in here and figure everything out. We'll talk it all out so by the time you leave his room absolutely confident about everything, okay?"

I nodded and moved forward towards the bathroom. "Of course," I said. "That sounds nice."

The door clicked shut behind me, and I turned on the shower before I started stripping down. But before I stepped into the heating shower, I glanced at myself in the mirror. And what I saw made me actually scream out loud.

Alice dashed into the bathroom, not bothering to knock or let me cover myself up. But when she saw what I saw, she screamed, too. It wasn't like Alice had never seen me naked before; she was my best friend. We had spent countless nights before we went out to clubs or, in high school, dances like prom and formals, getting ready together. So seeing me naked wasn't the surprise.

It was the purple spots splattered from my upper neck, to just below my ear, to my chest and even a particularly large one at the top of my stomach, just below my right breast.

"Holy fuck," Alice said in a low voice. "I mean, I've always known my brother sucked, but not in _this_ sense." She laughed at her own joke and I shot her a mean look.

"This is _not_ the time to make puns. Please."

"I'm sorry," she said, but I had a feeling what wasn't _really_ that sorry. "But you've got to admit this is funny. You've got like...," she drifted off and started counting the little spots. I was still too stunned to move. "Like seven hickeys here. And they're _everywhere_. Christ, is there any place on your body that he _didn't_ suck? Honestly."

"Alice," I hissed.

"You know you're going to have to wear turtlenecks for like a week, right? Not to mention you're not going to be able to wear a bikini... like, at all. Bella, this is borderline ridiculous. You know, if there was any doubt that you guys hadn't slept together before now, at least you've got your own evidence. Right fucking there." She giggled.

"Alice," I said in a quiet, worried voice, "What if I left any of these on him? I thought I was going to get away with this, but if he wakes up with hickeys, he's going to know that he had a girl there last night. He's going to want to know who it was, and the first person he's going to ask is you." I grabbed my towel from the rack and wrapped it around myself. "Damn it. I'm so mad at myself for thinking I could pretend nothing happened." I sat on the lid of the toilet and put my head in my hands.

Alice moved over to where I was sitting and ran an arm up and down my back, trying to soothe me. "It's fine, Bella. I can just tell him I didn't remember seeing him leave with anyone. It's the truth. I found out this morning that he left with you. He'll buy it. But Bella," she said, softly, "You're going to have to tell him one way or another. There was bound to have been people that saw you two leave together, right? If he hears from someone else, Bella, you're going to be sorry."

"What am I going to do? Do you have any idea how awkward it'll be to have that conversation? 'Hi, Edward, it's me, Bella, the one you've known since we were kids but have never liked? Yeah, I just wanted to let you know that we kind of slept together last night. It's cool, though, I'm only going to want a relationship because I don't believe in one night stands.' Yeah, no thanks."

"Well," Alice said, reaching in and turning off the shower. I think we both knew that this shower wouldn't be happening anytime soon. "Which would you prefer: that conversation, or him approaching you and saying 'Hey, Bella, it's me, Edward, the one you've known since we were kids but have never liked? Yeah, I was just told by an anonymous source that we slept together the other night. Why didn't you tell me?'"

I took a deep breath. "Honestly, I'd prefer to chance him never finding out."

Alice cocked an eyebrow at me. "Bella, if you don't tell him, I will."

My eyes narrowed at her. "No you wouldn't."

She shrugged. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But do you really want to find out?"

She had me there. "I hate this," I whined. "Why did this have to happen to me? It's all his fault anyway. I wouldn't have gotten drunk if he hadn't been so rude to me."

Alice clucked her tongue. "Bella, that's not okay. You know I'm your best friend, and I'd do anything to support you. But he's my brother. Yeah, he was an asshole, and there's no excuse for what he did. But that doesn't mean you can blame all of this on him. It takes two to tango, you know."

I ran my hands over my face, angry at myself for letting this happen. I had no idea I was such a willing drunk.

"And if you're going to blame this on someone, you may as well blame it on me," she continued. "I was the one that suggested you drink a lot in the first place. And, if I remember correctly, I gave you your first few drinks. This is as much my fault as it is yours or his."

"No, Alice, don't say that. Unless you were in the bedroom with us, this isn't your fault," I said, shaking my head. "You were right, though, in saying that it's as much mine as it is his. I shouldn't have blamed it on him."

Alice wrapped her arms around me in a comforting hug. "It'll all turn out fine eventually, Bella. Just give it some time."

My lips twitched. "I sure as hell hope you're right."

* * *

**A/N:** To clarify, _no_, Edward and Bella did **not** have sex. She just thinks they did. (Hell, if you woke up mostly naked in someone's bed and didn't remember anything, you'd probably assume you slept with them, too.)

**READ. **Alright, folks. Shall I bribe you with more? You didn't seem to have a problem getting to 50 reviews last time, so let's say if you can get us to 400 (or within 10) before I update on Tuesday night, I'll post a second chapter on Wednesday. That's not much more than last time—you guys got to 301 by Friday, and 308 by today, from 243. So you guys can do it, I know you can. As for incentive, the next chapter is a flashback. If you get a double chapter, you'll get the flashback _and_ Edward's reaction to the whole thing. :) Good luck, everyone.

For updates on everything _Cursed_, visit callieforniabenches(dot)blogspot(dot)com.

cALLIEfornia BENches


	19. When You're Around

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Hi. Sorry it's late. Reasons why are on our blog: callieforniabenches(dot)blogspot(dot)com. Except replace the '(dot)'s with '.'s. Okie doke? Also, sorry I didn't have time to reply to your amazing, lovely reviews. I _DO_ read them all, and love each and every one. I hope you guys know that I seriously appreciate all of them, even if I don't always have time to reply and tell you that.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 17:** When You're Around

_6 years ago_

"A venti, one percent, iced caramel macchiato with little ice and whip cream," the woman said, not bothering with a please or a thank you, let alone a 'May I please have....' But was something Bella had learned to deal with since she started working at Starbucks a few weeks ago. Seattleites were _not_ happy people without their coffee.

Bella wrote down her massive order in the correct boxes on the clear cup and added it to the growing pile of cups. It was the post-dinner rush, and her boss had only scheduled three of them to be working. They were vastly understaffed.

"Is that going to be all?" Bella asked with a sickeningly sweet smile. She had been working since she got out of school at three, and at this point had very little tolerance for those snobby caffeine addicts and their stupid difficult orders. What happened to the days when people just asked for a plain black drip coffee? Was it so much to ask?

The only thing holding Bella together was her new pair of Chucks that she had gotten the day before. They were a brilliant red. And although they were probably the most common ones next to the black ones, she loved them. They fit her perfectly, and she couldn't wait until she had fully broken them in.

But now, the woman nodded and handed over her Starbucks card, looking around and tapping her foot impatiently. Like Bella was some inconvenience to her time schedule or something. Hell, Bella didn't even get any tips when people used their Starbucks cards. This should have been an inconvenience to _Bella_, not the customer.

Even still, Bella smiled. "Would you like a receipt today?"

"No," the woman replied, snatching her card back from Bella and stalking off to the waiting area.

The entire afternoon had been like this. And Bella still had an hour before the store closed. She internally groaned, waiting for the next person in line to decide what they wanted.

Bella looked down at her tip jar from the afternoon. It was packed to the top with change, ones, and even a five or two from regular customers. Hopefully she'd make a decent amount in tips tonight; Alice was taking her out to the malls tomorrow night and then Rosalie, Emmett's girlfriend of forever, was going to take the two of them to a couple clubs.

"You have to look over the age of twenty-one," Alice had told her yesterday, "Or they won't let us in with her." Of course, Bella knew that this meant countless hours in front of a mirror with Alice pulling and tugging and pressing until every last detail of Bella looked as though she was ready for a visit with the queen.

"Excuse me," the man in line said with a polite smile. He came in fairly often, and must have lived near by. He was easily recognizable with his balding white hair and crinkly face that looked as though he had spent a great deal of his life smiling. They weren't unattractive wrinkles when it was obvious where they came from. But Bella never caught his name or his usual drink, so instead she smiled and said her usual "Hello, how are you?"

The man replied that he was doing fine and proceeded to order a short decaf latte. Bella couldn't help but smile. It was such a simple order. Why couldn't they all be like that?

She wrote his order down on the cup and set it down in the line. When she told him the price, he handed her a five dollar bill. He put the two dollars and change into the tip jar, and Bella couldn't help but let a genuine smile escape for the first time in the last hour.

"Thank you."

The man smiled at Bella. Normally he wasn't so gracious with tips, but he had seen the way the lady in line before him had treated her. And with the way her hair was falling out of her ponytail, it seemed as though she had been here for a while. No one liked working long hours with no compensation. It was the least he could do to spare a few dollars for her. He waved politely at her when he walked past the counter to the front door, and she waved back.

"Have a nice night," she called toward him.

* * *

As the line died down, so did the amount of time she had left to work. Of course, even though the shop closed in ten minutes, Bella knew she had to stay at least another half hour after that to clean and close the store.

"You ready to close this baby up?" Cora, one of Bella's coworkers asked as she finished making a kid's hot chocolate for the little five year old that came in.

"Just about," Bella replied as she glanced around the store. Even though there wasn't anyone in line to buy a drink, there were a surprisingly large amount of people sitting at the tables. That was the part Bella hated about closing: kicking everyone out. "Is John still here?" John was her bossy, slightly arrogant boss.

Cora nodded. "I didn't see him leave, but that doesn't mean anything. He's stealthy, that one." She smiled, showing all of her teeth. That was the one thing that Bella loved about Cora. She was fun and talkative to the customers, and always smiling. She had possibly the biggest smile Bella had ever seen. She was pretty sure all of her teeth showed when she smiled, too.

Bella frowned and leaned her back against the counter as she watched Cora and Martin, the other person working, quickly wipe down the coffee machines. "So I guess that means no fun closing tonight, huh?"

Martin smiled and ran a rag over the countertops in front of the blenders. Even though Bella had only been working there a few weeks, he knew how much she loved to have a fun close. Whenever Cora worked, she always brought her iPod and hooked it up to the speakers in the store and made closing go by so much faster with her upbeat techno music. But everyone knew that whenever John was working, they wouldn't be able to do it. He'd just as easily fire all their asses.

"Sorry, babe," Cora responded. "Not tonight."

Bella opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off when the door to the store slammed open. She spun around, only to have her face immediately heat up with anger.

Edward was there.

And not only was he there, he was wasted. Totally and completely wasted. He couldn't even form a coherent thought, let alone acknowledge the fact that he was there to annoy Bella.

His hair was a mess—even messier than usual—and his clothes were wet with sweat. Bella wondered if he had walked here from wherever he had been. There were dirt blotches all over his plane white shirt and his jeans were wet at the bottom, as though he had been wading through puddles. His face was red, which Bella knew to mean he had had too much to drink.

"Bellaaa," he slurred, stumbling over to the counter where she was working.

Bella glanced worriedly over at Cora and Martin. She knew that if John were to come into the main area and find out that he was there for Bella, she'd be fired. And she knew Edward wasn't worth that.

"Edward," she hissed, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

He laughed boisterously as if whatever she said was the funniest thing in the world. "Bella, Bella... Bell-uhh, Bel-_la_. Isssssabella." He set his elbow down on the counter and rested his cheek in his palm, fascinated with the many different ways her name could be pronounced.

Bella winced at the volume of his voice. People were already staring. If he got any louder, John was going to come out.

"Edward, you need to leave," Bella said sternly, looking nervously around her.

Edward let out a loud sigh. "But _Bellaaaa_," he whined. He pouted. "I'm drunk."

Bella couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "I can see that."

He looked at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Well _obviously_ I can't go outside if I'm _drunk_," he said. "If anyone sees me, I'ma go to jail." He shook his head vehemently. "And I can't go to jail. My mom would be _so pissed_." He giggled, though, and nearly fell over onto the floor, catching himself at the very last minute.

Frustrated more with him than she was pretty sure she had ever been, she rushed around the counter and put his arm around her shoulders so she could support him. "Bella," he said, stupidly. She started to lead him towards the door, but he wasn't ready to leave yet. He yanked back from her grasp so hard he landed with a loud thud onto the ground.

He sat there for a second, the way a child does after they fall and scrape their knee, before the pain settles in. But instead of crying, he just set his head on the ground and started laughing. "Did you _see_ that?!" he asked between breaths. "That was so _cool_!"

"Excuse me," a woman said, standing up from her table and walking over to Bella. "I'm trying to enjoy some time with my children, and I can't hear a word they're saying over this man."

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. I don't know what's gotten into him. I'm trying my best to get him to leave, I promise. I'm doing everything that I can," Bella gushed, running over to Edward and doing what she could to peel him off the ground. But he wouldn't budge. "Edward," she whispered angrily. "Get off your ass and get up," she demanded.

He smiled, goofily. "You're pretty when you're mad."

Bella's teeth clamped together and she pulled harder on his arm, trying to pull him up or pull his arm out of his socket. Either one would work, she thought to herself. It was just down to whichever came first. She yanked a little harder.

"Ow," he whined. "Stop it."

"I'll stop it," she said through her clenched teeth, "the second you get up and leave."

"Fine, let me go and I'll get up," he spat as he yanked his arm from her grasp. He laid down on the ground for a moment longer, knowing it was pissing her off, but got up when he thought he had pushed it far enough. Her arms were crossed like the mother of a disobedient child, and her foot was tapping so fast it was making his head spin. Not to mention the vibrations that it was sending through his head. Hell, he wasn't even hung over yet and he had a headache.

He pulled himself up and stumbled a little into her. She caught him, but pushed him away when she realized what happened.

"Where did you get all this alcohol?" she whispered as she slowly tried to lead him through the door. Maybe if he didn't notice what she was leading him toward the exit, he wouldn't fuss.

"Shhh," he said. "It's a secret." He spun ungracefully from where she had placed her arm around his shoulders and walked back over to the counter, trying unsuccessfully to sit on top of to counter. After about thirty seconds of trying, he gave up and just leaned his side against the case that held all the pastries.

"Edward," she said, more sternly this time. "How did you get this drunk?"

He gave me a lop-sided grin. "Esme," he said, matter-of-factly.

Bella quirked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, I'm finding it hard to believe that she would let you drink all of her alcohol," she said, crossing her arms over her chest again. A glance around the room told her that, although most everyone had gotten back to their regular conversations, there were still a few people watching the two of them intently. Among those included Cora and Martin, who had stopped cleaning and were not-so-subtly leaning towards them, trying to pick up on their conversation.

Edward shook his head again. "No, no, no. Esme is the _reason_ I am this drunk, not the one who gave me the _alcohol_. _Duh_."

Bella's eyes narrowed. "Where did you get the alcohol?"

"Emmett," he said, emphasizing the 't' sound. "He gave it to me because I stole it from his secret stash from his room. Shh, don't tell him or I'll be in even _more_ trouble, okay? Not that I _should_ get in trouble. It's Esme's fault."

Bella sighed, giving in. She hoped that by letting him speak, he'd run out of things to say and leave. "What'd Esme do?"

"She said that I needed to take my studies more seriously." His voice started to escalate and Bella quickly tried to calm him by shushing him. It didn't work. "She said that my grades sucked. And she said that if I didn't try harder, she would ground me. And she said that if she grounded me, I wouldn't be able to go out. And she said if I wasn't allowed to go out, I'd focus more on my work." He was a fraction away from yelling, and Bella cringed. It was only a matter of time before John came out.

"And then you know what she said to me?!" his voice screeched. That was it. He was full-on yelling, now. "She said that this wouldn't be what my _parents_ would want. That's such a fucking _low blow_. She and Carlisle always use that excuse. 'Your parents would want this,' or 'your parents would want that.' Well it doesn't matter much now, does it?! My parents are fucking _dead_. Who the fuck _cares_ what they would want?!

"I'm so fucking _sick_ of people comparing my parents to now. If my parents wanted to be alive, they would fucking be here, wouldn't they?" Bella was starting to worry about the little children that were in hearing range, now. She noticed a few parents trying to cover their kids' ears.

Bella wondered vaguely why no one was up here helping her, trying to get him out of there. But then again, she thought to herself, she wouldn't want to deal with someone like this if she didn't have to, either.

"But nooo," he drawled. "They're dead. Buried. Six feet under, if you will. And where am I?" He laughed sardonically. "Six feet above, alive, and unburied. Just where everyone fucking wants to be, am I right?"

"Edward," Bella hissed, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him towards the door.

But then it was like everything started to happen at once. Edward stumbled, bumping straight into Bella and nearly knocking her over; instead, he just fully embraced her in a smothering hug. Simultaneously, a door from the back opened and John stepped out of his office, alert now and curious as to what all the noise was. Edward let go of Bella and took a few wobbly steps back.

And just as John made it into the main area, Edward's face fell for a moment and he swayed side to side for a moment.

"What's going on—"

But before he could finish, Edward puked.

All over Bella's new Chucks.

The entire store was silent, save for the stupid music playing in the background, as everyone took in the situation. Edward was staring at his vomit, shocked at himself, while John's eyes narrowed at Bella, who was so near to tears it wasn't even funny. Her eyes squeezed shut.

"You," John ordered, pointing at Edward. "Get out. Now." He turned to Bella, who opened her eyes cautiously. She was afraid of what was coming for her, now. "And you. Mop this up and come straight into my office. Everyone else, the store is closed. I must kindly ask that you leave in an orderly fashion."

Everyone did as he said and filed out the front door, Edward bringing up the rear. He shot one last look at Bella, an undecipherable one, before he left. Immediately, John returned to his office.

"Oh, Bella," Martin cooed. He had always been a really comforting guy, and Bella loved him for that. He made his way over to Bella and led her out of the foul smelling, alcohol induced vomit. Her brand new shoes squashed as she took each step, which only made her tears leak over her face.

"Cora, can you get that?" Martin asked, gesturing toward the pile of barf on the ground. She made a face, but nodded. It was obvious that Bella would need a few minutes to compose herself before she went in to see John.

"I'm going to be fired, aren't I?" Bella asked, sobbing quietly into Martin's shoulder.

Martin didn't want to lie to her; even though he knew it was stupid, John was irrational. This was the kind of thing that would get someone fired. So instead, he suggested she take off her shoes and socks and they could clean up her feet before she left. Maybe then she wouldn't smell so badly of vomit, he thought tiredly. That might help her case a little.

Bella tugged at her shoes, avoiding as much of the gross area as she could, and threw her brand new, favorite pair of shoes into the garbage along with her socks. By the time she returned, Martin already had some wet paper towels in his hands. She took them from him and, with one more dry sob, started cleaning herself up.

She couldn't believe Edward Masen. He was such an asshole. She was going to lose her job, and it was all his own selfish fault. Another tear escaped from her eye, but it was more out of frustration than anything else.

She hated Edward Masen. She hated him with every fiber of her being. Maybe if he wasn't so damn selfish, they'd have gotten along. But no, he had to go and ruin these kinds of things for her. Not only was she jobless now, but it'd always hang on her shoulders. When interviewers for her next job asked why she only worked here for a few weeks, what was she to say? And when they ask if they can use them as a reference, what should she say?

Fucking Edward Masen. He had to fucking ruin everything. She knew there was a reason they never got along, and it was moments like these that reminded her.

Bella was scrubbing so hard the paper towel was starting to fall apart.

"Hey there," Martin said softly, prying the paper towel from her hands, "Take it easy. What'd it ever do to you?" he asked with a short laugh as he held up the torn piece of towel. He tossed it into the trash and gave Bella a big hug. "You should probably head in there. He's going to wonder where you are soon."

Bella nodded and walked the dreaded walk into the back office. It felt like a dream, where you never really reach the place you're headed towards. It seemed like the hallway was getting longer, and she was walking in place. Maybe she should just turn around and leave and never come back. But, she thought, what if there's a chance she could get her job back?

Not likely.

She reached the door and knocked twice before she opened it. "You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked.

"Yes. Please shut the door." With a curt nod, she shut the door behind her and went over to the chair in front of his desk to sit down. "I assume you know why I'm calling you here?"

Bella nodded and looked down at her hands.

"Did you know that man that was in here?"

"Yes sir," she said in a mousey voice.

"How did you know him?"

"He's my neighbor, sir."

John thought this over for a minute before continuing. "You understand that I can't keep you here after that," he said. "Not only can I not risk having him come back like that, but it makes me worry about your choice in friends. If your friendship choices are that poor, what kind of work choices would you make?" He sighed. "Even if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be surprised if we lost some customers tonight. And I just can't afford that, alright?" he said.

Bella merely nodded.

"Your last paycheck will be mailed to you. You may leave."

"Do you want me to help Cora and Martin clean up?" she asked, doing what she could to keep the tears at bay. She wanted so much to defend herself, and say that she was doing the best she could to get Edward out of there. But she knew her boss, and she knew that would only make him even more angry. She figured she should leave on the best note possible.

"No," he said. "Just please get out of my shop." He shooed her with his hand, and it was all Bella could do not to start bawling right there in his office. She had never been fired before, let alone treated so horribly like that. She quietly shut his door and made her way to the front door, not even bothering to say goodbye to Martin or Cora. She'd see them again later, for sure. This Starbucks was the closest to her house. There was no way she _wouldn't_ see them again. Right now, she just needed time alone.

The rocks on the sidewalk dug into her bare feet as she unlocked her car and got into the passenger seat. It was there she sat for a good ten minutes, moping and crying. But it occurred to her as she sat there that she shouldn't be crying about her lost job. She couldn't decipher her emotions. Part of her wanted to break down and cry for being treated so terribly by her ex-boss, but the other part of her seriously wanted to kick Edward's ass for making him treat her like that.

So she decided to instead get back at Edward for the way he treated her. Wiping the tears from her face, she pulled out her phone and started dialing his house number. On the third ring, Esme answered. She couldn't help the devious smirk that spread across her lips.

"Hello, Esme? It's Bella."

* * *

**A/N:** Again, sorry it was late. Forgive me? :) Alright, if we can get to **425 reviews by next Tuesday **(sorry, I can't update this weekend. I'll be at a college visit and my laptop's broken, so I'll be without internet starting tomorrow afternoon until Sunday night. :( I'm very distraught about it all), I'll post a double chapter. How's that sound? That's 75 reviews. You guys got 50 from Sunday to today, so I know you guys can do it.

Send your love to my laptop. It's very sad, sitting upstairs waiting to be fixed. I'm going from my desktop, and I must say I like being able to sit in bed and write. My chair is extremely uncomfortable. Meh.

Love you!

cALLIEfornia BENches


	20. My Morning After

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** **SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT. ****READ!** Alright, there were a lot of questions about the last chapter that I need to clear up.

1. No, the next flashback will not be a follow up to that one.  
2. The relevance of that chapter was to go back a little to how much they hated each other. We kind of realized that the flashbacks lately have been too sweet and nice, and we wanted a little reminder to show that their relationship was _not_ always like that.  
3. What happened to Edward? We leave that up to you guys. We obviously left it there, implying that she called Esme to rat him out. As for his punishment, be creative. Actually, let's make a contest out of it. Whoever comes up with the most creative version of Esme's reaction/Edward's punishment (you can decide as to whether you want to do one or both) will not only get their name published in the next chapter, but we'll email you the chapter before we post it. :) Mmmkay?

Now let's get on with the story.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 18:** My Morning After

**EPOV**

I was having a lovely dream that consisted of me, cuddling up with a beautiful, faceless woman. She was warm, and comfy...

But then my pounding head woke me up.

I groaned loudly and turned onto my stomach, burying my head in a pillow. But there was something underneath me... Something soft. I cracked one eye open to see what I was crushing with my body weight. A pillow. Of course. But the pillow smelled like something...

And that one sniff brought my entire night back to me.

My head throbbed at the thought, and a wave of nausea washed over me. I slapped my hand and, ignoring the light as best as I could, sprinted to my toilet and let it all out. Agh. I hated being hung over. I may as well hang out by the toilet all day. I never knew how long my nauseous episodes were going to last. Sometimes it was an hour, sometimes it was the entire day.

I slumped down onto the bathroom floor and rested my head back on the wall behind me. I couldn't believe I _slept_ with Isabella. Granted, I didn't remember the exact moment we had sex, but I did remember everything leading up to it. I remembered my asking her if she wanted to try romance between us; I remembered that first chaste kiss; I remembered that steamy second kiss and the hard-on I received; I remembered dragging her into my room and ravaging her. I remembered everything up until she took her shirt off. I must have blacked out then, because the last thing I remembered was having my way with those wonderful, perky...

_Shit, no_. I ran hand through my hair. _This is Isabella I'm talking about. There's nothing wonderful about her, even if she did have fantastic breasts._

My stomach lurched, and I leaned over the toilet, emptying the contents of my stomach before I flushed. I had never been one to hold my liquor well when it came to the morning after. The smell hit me, making me puke again. It was a fucking vicious circle. As soon as I finished that last one, I flushed as quickly as possible.

I groaned. I needed to talk to Emmett. Like, now.

Praying that I wouldn't vomit again, if only for a few minutes, I unsteadily went to my phone and dialed him.

"'lo?" he answered tiredly.

I furrowed my brows and glanced at the clock. It was nearing one. And I thought _I_ was waking up late. "Are you just waking up?" I asked him, sitting down slowly on my bed. I wasn't sure my stomach could handle sudden movements.

"Hmm? Yeah," he said, his voice a little dreamy. "Rosie's ovulating. We were up late."

"Can we meet at the gym today? Well, preferably like now?"

"What's wrong?" he asked, and I heard rustling on the other side of the line. He must have been getting out of bed.

"I slept with Isabella," I said.

Emmett was silent for a good five minutes. Or at least it felt like five minutes. More likely than not, it was just a couple of seconds. "You slept with Bella?" he asked. But he didn't wait for my reply. "Damn it, Edward, why couldn't you have done that like four years ago? Jasper and I had a bet on how long it'd take for you guys to get together; it was strictly us men, though. Alice and Rosalie didn't know about it. They're pretty convinced you two are going to murder each other any day now. I, however, bet that you guys would get it on way back in college. Jasper thought you guys would get together sometime this year or next year."

I was stunned. They _bet_ on this? I didn't even see it coming. I hadn't been lying the night before when I said that I had never thought about her romantically. I mean, sure, she was attractive. You'd have to be an idiot not to notice that. But romance? Love? No, thank you. "Emmett, we aren't dating. We had a night of drunken sex. I hardly think that counts for anything."

"Yeah, well. Maybe I'll play that card when you tell Jasper. I'll meet you at the gym in like fifteen, alright? Though I don't know how much I'll be able to do; Rosie worked me pretty hard last night." I could hear the smile on his end.

"Damn it, Emmett. How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to hear about your and Rosalie's sexcapades. I'll see you in a few," I said as I threw a pair of shorts and a shirt on. I hung up the phone and went into the kitchen for some coffee. Unfortunately, my coffee maker was set to start making coffee at ten so it wasn't that fresh, but it'd have to do. Coffee was the only thing that helped calm my stomach when I had a hang over.

I poured about half the pot into my portable mug, poured the rest into the sink, and set the pot back underneath the coffee maker. I'd clean it later, I guess.

With my gym bag over my shoulder, I stepped outside and started to lock my door. But another jingling of keys caught my attention. And sure enough, there was Isabella, standing at her door, keys dropped on the ground, staring blatantly at me. She wasn't even blinking.

My stomached hopped up into my throat, and all the sudden I was really nervous. I felt weird facing her the morning after without having even acknowledged the fact that we had sex the night before. Would she even remember? She had to, I thought. She had to have left my room at some point, right?

I cleared my throat and decided to be the bigger person. Maybe by talking about it, it wouldn't be so horribly awkward. "You leaving?" I asked. It was lame, but it didn't matter. It was noise.

She looked a little weird. She was wearing a turtleneck of hers that looked a little too formal for just leaving the house, especially with the way she paired it with the ripped jeans. It was fairly warm today for Seattle. I was surprised she would be wearing something as warm as a turtleneck, even if the sleeves only went to her elbow.

She shook her head once, as if to rid herself of her thoughts. "Uhm...," she glanced at her doorknob and then her keys. "Actually, no, I was just getting in," she said. It sounded like she was trying to convince herself. I could easily tell she was lying; she always got nervous when she lied, and today was no exception.

"I see," I started, pulling my keys from the lock and stuffing them into my pocket. "So, listen—"

"Edward!" a voice came from a door across the hall. I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Bella! What a funny coincidence!" Craig stumbled over to Isabella and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her over to me.

"Craig, are you drunk?" Isabella asked, trying to fight her way from his grasp.

He laughed boisterously. "Drunk? Drunky drunk? Nahhh. Of _course_ not!"

I figured I'd let her deal with him, so I tried to sneak away toward the elevator. My feet moved quickly underneath me as I made my way to the elevator, pressing the button a few times more than necessary. Just a few seconds ago, I was going to tell Isabella we should probably meet up and talk somewhere but my heart just wasn't in it now. All it took was Craig's interruption and I was immediately snapped back into reality. I just wanted to avoid her now.

"Edward, wait!" Craig called from behind me. His speech was terribly slurred, and it was hard to understand him. When I looked behind me, he was dragging Isabella toward the elevators with him.

The door pinged, and I rushed into the tiny room, hoping the doors closed before they got there. When the doors started to close, I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed against the back wall. But of course, since my luck is _that_ good, they crashed into the elevator and stopped the doors before they closed all the way. I tried to stop the cringe from appearing on my face, but I couldn't help it.

Isabella was avoiding my face, as I was avoiding hers. We stood on completely opposite sides of the elevator. After all, it was Craig's fault we were in this position right now. He was standing in between us, looking back and forth between us, smiling.

"You guys just slept together, didn't you?"

I watched as Isabella cringed and her cheeks flushed a dark red. So she remembered everything. Hmm.

"You guys _looove_ each other," Craig said, laughing. He slung one arm around my shoulders and one arm around Isabella's waist and pulled us so our sides were pressed up against each other when he moved out of the way. Quickly, I stepped away and looked back down on the ground.

Craig's hands clapped together under his chin. "Aww," he said. "You guys are so cute. So when's the wedding? I better get an invite, you guys. Okay?"

The elevator had only moved down two floors so far, and was moving way too slowly. As if thinking the same thing I was, Isabella reached over and hit the button for the next floor down, so the elevator would stop before it hit the lobby. And as soon as the doors opened, she was out in the hall, disappearing behind the closing doors. I barely caught her running a hand over her face, exasperated.

But then the door closed. And then there were two.

"Edward," Craig slurred, leaning in to me as he tried to steady himself. "Do you love Bella?"

"No, Craig," I answered flatly. "Really, you need to lay off the booze. It only gets people into trouble." When the doors opened to the lobby, I all but sprinted out the doors and toward my car.

* * *

"Dude, Edward. Will you slow down? You're making me exhausted just watching you. Besides, didn't you want to talk?" Emmett asked.

I sighed and turned my treadmill down from eight and a half to four so I was simply walking, and I turned down the incline to one instead of three. Sure, weights were fun. But the treadmill was my sanctuary when I had a lot on my mind. I always felt it was better to concentrate on burning muscles than to think about my problems.

"Sort of. Shit, man, I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to do."

"Well what have you done on other one night stands?"

My lip twitched. I had only had maybe two, and they were both with decent women. "The girl and I had breakfast in the morning and then she left without leaving her number. It wasn't like that with Isabella. First of all, I know her, and I've known her my entire life. Secondly, she lives next door and absolutely hates me. And that's not even considering the fact that she wasn't there when I woke up. I don't know when she left, but the bed was empty. This is so much different than that."

Emmett was quiet as he upped the incline of his treadmill. He wasn't a slow runner, but he was definitely stronger when it came to weights. "You know Bella doesn't believe in one night stands, right?"

My brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Obviously she had a change of heart or we wouldn't be sitting here right now."

"Or," Emmett said, "she wants a relationship with you."

I laughed. "Emmett, don't be ridiculous. This is Isabella we're talking about. She absolutely loathes me, and I loathe her. That's how it's always been, ever since we were four years old. If she really wanted a relationship, she would have just come and talked to me. Even still, the chances of Isabella and I getting in a relationship are like three billion to one."

Emmett huffed.

"Just out of curiosity," I continued, "What exactly was the bet? That we'd sleep together or get together? Though, if you'd have asked me 24 hours ago, I would have said both were a stupid idea."

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Emmett said. "We didn't really clarify. All I know is that Jasper more than likely won, and now I'm out three hundred dollars. You don't think there's any way that Bella won't tell Alice? I kind of don't want Jasper to find out. Maybe I can play the baby card, and say that I'm going to need all the money I can get my hands on for whenever we have a baby. You think he'll buy that?"

"No," I said, not bothering to beat around the bush. "Jasper and Alice have been talking about starting a family within the next couple of years too, so he's going to need as much money as you do. How's that going, by the way?" I asked, but quickly clarified. "Not the money, the baby."

He laughed lightly. "Pretty well, if you ask me. I mean, even though we've been trying for a few months, I just started getting into it. So we won't know for sure for a few months. I'm just worried she might be disappointed. What if one of us can't have a kid or something? She'd be devastated. Rosalie's life revolves around having a family."

"Don't worry about that right now," I said. "That's the worst thing you could do. For now, focus on the positives. You're going to need to if you're going to have this kid, you know?"

He nodded. "Yeah. But enough about me. We need to talk about Bella. What are you going to do? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you got laid for the first time in what seems like forever, but I'm a little worried that the person who you chose to break the spell with was Bella Swan."

"I don't know what I'm going to do," I replied, honestly. "Part of me, the honest part, thinks that I should talk to her and figure everything out. But the other part of me wants nothing to do with her. It wants to avoid her entirely and go back to how things were before, when we were fighting all the time. That's what comes naturally to us; it's what we do best. It doesn't seem right that one night should make things awkward between us, you know?"

"Yeah," he said. "Honestly? If I was in your position and it was some random girl, I wouldn't worry about it. But because it's Bella, you should talk to her. We all love Bella, and I can't guarantee that we'll all be on your side if something bad happens. It's probably better to get it open in the air before you do anything rash."

Deciding I didn't want to talk about it anymore, I turned up my treadmill and turned my iPod up, focusing all of my energy into running faster, longer. I wanted to be so sore the next day that I couldn't walk. That'd make everything easier. If I couldn't walk, I wouldn't have to worry about accidentally running into Isabella.

It wasn't long before Emmett motioned over to the weights, telling me he'd be over there if I needed him. I nodded and let him go.

Emmett was probably right. Talking to Isabella would be the best possible thing. But how could I casually bring it up? 'Hey, Isabella, we slept together. I think it'd be a great idea if we talked about it over lunch so I find out why you left so early in the morning and if you possibly want a relationship, because I don't think I want that.'

No, thanks.

If I thought about it, she was probably as freaked out as I was. Maybe if I approached it rationally, and just asked her if she maybe wanted to do coffee or something, and we could figure everything out?

I just kind of hoped we wouldn't fight about it. This was something I'd take seriously. Hell, I didn't even want to think about the repercussions if I didn't. Not only would Alice and Rosalie have my hide, but they'd have Jasper and Emmett right behind them. Emmett was right: I couldn't guarantee they would be on my side. After all, I _was_ the one that instigated everything.

So it was settled. I couldn't avoid her forever. I'd have to ask her if she wanted to talk about it. If she did, we'd go out for coffee or something. If not, we'd go our separate ways and be civil to each other at the family gatherings. Right?

Right.

I think.

Aw, fuck, what do I know. This was a mess, and I was the tornado that caused it all. If only I had been able to control my stupid, drunk mouth, none of this would have happened. And I could have just been blissfully ignorant as to what Isabella Swan looked like naked.

Shit, running was not the best time to get a woody.

I bit my lip and tried to think of something gross. That used to be Isabella, but oh, how things had changed. Was I romantically attracted to her? Of course not. I hated Isabella and Isabella hated me. But there was no sense denying that she had an amazing body. And then to see it naked...

_Fuck. John Lennon's Jesus beard. Old men in Speedos. That one time I accidentally walked in on Alice and Jasper when I was seventeen._

Phew. That last one got it. But now that picture was stuck in my mind. I'd much rather be picturing John Lennon and his massive beard. It was much more pleasant for me to look at.

I shook my head and slowed my run to a walk, before deciding to skip a cool down this time. I'd just go over to the mats and stretch out instead. When I got there, Emmett was already pulling his arm across his chest.

"You decided what you're going to do?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I guess. I don't know. I'm going to see if she wants to talk about it, I think."

He nodded once. "Good. Now I won't have to beat your ass."

* * *

When I got back to my apartment building, I couldn't wait to get to my room and shower. I felt disgusting. As nice as running was, it made me sweat the most. And that always made me feel gross with the way my clothes stuck to me. I had to resist the urge to pull my shirt off in a public place.

A yawn escaped my lips as the elevator doors opened. But before I stepped out, I noticed Isabella standing in front of me, still wearing that damn turtleneck.

I didn't move for a moment as we just stared at each other. I think we both wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what. She must not have known, either, or else we wouldn't be standing there, awkwardly staring at each other.

Only when the doors started to close did I realize that I needed to get off on this floor, and she needed to get on. I lurched forward and stopped the doors before exiting the elevator. We still didn't say anything to each other as she got on, and I was afraid I was going to chicken out. But when the doors started to close again, I reached out and put an arm between them so they'd open again.

"You want to go to lunch tomorrow or something?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck with one hand.

* * *

**A/N:** **My (Allie's) birthday is on Friday, so it would be lovely if you could get us to 450 reviews by then**. At the very least, 440. It'd be the best birthday ever. :) Haha. Get us to 450 and I'll post a chapter on Monday as well as Tuesday. Mmmkay?

Again, I'll ram this into your minds before you ask: _they did not sleep together_. Edward remembers everything, but he doesn't _know_ he remembered everything. He passed out and just thinks he blacked out and they kept on moving forward.

See you soon,

cALLIEfornia BENches


	21. The Pink Elephant

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** You guys were so close. :( I thought for sure you guys were going to get it. 5 off! I almost gave it to you anyway, but things came up yesterday. Thanks to all of you that wished me a happy birthday. :) (It was amazing, by the way. My sister got me tickets to go see the Shins on Saturday night up in Bellingham. It started pouring rain and, by the end, we all looked like we had jumped in a pool with our clothes on. Super. Epic.) Also, happy belated birthday to Anna Diamond and sakurarwr who have the same birthday as me. I love you all. :)

As for the mini-contest, there was a tie between Lexie2156 and Jasper winked. I couldn't get this chapter out to them before I posted, but I'm thinking I'll give them the next one instead. Here were their responses:  
**Lexie2156:**_  
As for the punishment, I think Esme should make him take the bus. School bus or just transit bus, I don't know, but I want it to be the school bus. (Humiliating!) Then she's going to... so, I don't know if they have this at their high school, but pretend, okay? You know that event where they auction off boys for a date and the girl who bids the highest gets a lunch date with that boy? Well, Esme should put him in that. Imagine how high the bidding would go...  
_**Jasper winked:**  
_As far as punishment, I think Esme besides taking away car, phone and going out privileges and apologizing to Bella, should make him work at the hospital as an orderly cleaning up other people's vomit and give the money to Bella and buy her a new pair of Chucks._

For this chapter, my main inspiration was the song "Turn on Me" by the Shins. It fits Bella and Edward perfectly in this story, if you ask me. If you don't want to listen to the song, just read the lyrics. It's my favorite Shins song (and my ringtone, actually. Haha.) I think my record player is sick of me playing side two of that album over and over again. Haha. So I got it on iTunes to make everything easier.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 19:** The Pink Elephant

**EPOV**

_Previously, on _Cursed_:_

_A yawn escaped my lips as the elevator doors opened. But before I stepped out, I noticed Isabella standing in front of me, still wearing that damn turtleneck._

_I didn't move for a moment as we just stared at each other. I think we both wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what. She must not have known, either, or else we wouldn't be standing there, awkwardly staring at each other._

_Only when the doors started to close did I realize that I needed to get off on this floor, and she needed to get on. I lurched forward and stopped the doors before exiting the elevator. We still didn't say anything to each other as she got on, and I was afraid I was going to chicken out. But when the doors started to close again, I reached out and put an arm between them so they'd open again._

"_You want to go to lunch tomorrow or something?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck with one hand._

So, it was tomorrow—er, today. Either way, I was standing awkwardly in front of the mirror in a polo and a pair of khaki shorts and I felt like a tool. I hated polos with every fiber of my being, but they were the only decent articles of clothing that I owned. And if I was going to go to lunch with Isabella, I wanted to look relatively nice. We were going to be at a semi-decent restaurant, a little hidden bistro around the corner from my gym.

I tugged at the collar before deciding to unbutton the first few buttons and reveal my white undershirt. At least that wasn't completely uncomfortable. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Only a few more minutes and I'd walk over to get Isabella.

I was nervous, that much was for sure. But I didn't think it was because I was talking to Isabella. I was more nervous to talk about the fact that we slept together and what to tell the others. Not to mention what we'd tell our parents. That'd be an awkward conversation. I didn't even want to get into that. Not even a little bit.

A deep breath escaped from between my lips and I looked at the clock. It was 12:02. I told her I'd pick her up at noon, but there was no shame in being fashionably late, was there? Maybe there was. Maybe she wanted me to pick her up right on time. Maybe she didn't like fashionably late.

My lip twitched. I should just go. I'm late enough to be considered fashionably late.

Locking the door behind me, I walked next door and knocked twice. She answered, looking a bit flushed and wearing another turtleneck, only this time it was part of a knee-length black dress. It looked nice, but I had never really been a fan of turtlenecks. I thought women's necks were beautiful; there was no reason to hide them. It was weird for her, too. I hadn't seen Isabella wear a turtleneck since she was like five.

"Ready to go?" she asked, biting her lip. She was nervous too, it seemed. She grabbed her purse from the entry table and I nodded as I motioned with my arm down the hallway toward the elevators.

The walk to the elevators was quiet. The ride to the restaurant was quiet. It was silent. It was awkward. It was like this the entire way to the restaurant, even when we sat down at the table. The big pink elephant in the room was suffocating us.

Her menu was held up in front of her face, looking all too closely at the choices. It wasn't that hard—there were like five options on the menu. I knew she was trying to avoid the conversation; I was, too.

It was still silent until the waitress came over to take our orders. And then as soon as she disappeared, we both knew it was time to face reality. She no longer had a menu to hide behind, and I no longer had the excuse of her having a menu to hide behind. We needed to talk. It was just a matter of who wanted to start the conversation. And though I didn't want to, I figured I was the one that instigated the kiss in the first place. I should start this as well.

I cleared my throat. "We should talk," I said simply.

She nodded slowly, keeping her gaze focused on the deep brown of the table. Her right pointer finger was absently tracing the designs within the wood. "We should," she said quietly.

But then the silence took over again, and neither of us was sure exactly what we should say. It was like the elephant, disapproving of our speaking, wanted to make it presence known again. And part of me wanted to apologize, but I knew that wouldn't do any good in the long run. I knew Isabella well enough to know that she was not the kind of girl to sleep around. And what she did with me? That was sleeping around.

"I don't believe in one night stands," she said, so quietly that I wasn't sure she had even said anything at all.

This was what I had been afraid of. She was going to want a relationship, and I wasn't ready for that. I wasn't ready for a relationship, period, let alone one with Isabella Swan. That would be insanely tough to explain to everyone. 'Hey, guys. Yeah, Isabella and I are an item. We went from hating each others' guts to falling madly in love. Surprise?'

No. No, that would most certainly not do. They would never believe that we had fallen madly in love. Hell, I couldn't even imagine something like that. It was way too far out there.

"Edward?" she asked timidly, bringing me back to the conversation.

"Sorry," I said quickly, not giving a reason for my absent-mindedness. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out what I was thinking about.

"So...," she drifted off.

"So... you don't believe in one night stands. What do you want, then?" I picked up my fork and started twirling it in a circle on the table. Anything to distract my attention from the girl in front of me that would potentially be asking me for a relationship within the next few seconds.

She rested her head in her hands on the table. "Fuck, Edward. I don't know."

Immediately, my defense mode got switched on. "Hey, don't get mad at me because you don't know what you want."

Isabella looked up and glared at me. "I may not remember much from that night, but my memory seems to tell me you were the one that started it all. So don't get angry at me when it's _you_ that put me in this position, okay? Fuck, I don't even know if you used fucking protection, so I'm the one that could potentially be pregnant with an STD. Who the fuck knows where you've put that dick of yours."

"Shut the fuck up," I said, my voice raising a little. The only other person in the restaurant, an elderly lady who sat a few tables in front of us, shushed me and started muttering about my poor use of language, especially in the presence of a lady. I lowered my voice a leaned forward so she could hear me. "I'm clean, alright?" I said, a sarcastic note finding its way into my tone. "Whether you want to believe it or not, I don't go sticking my dick in random girls. I've had like two one night stands in my entire life, and I got tested after each one. So you can shut your pretty mouth when you don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

She shook her head vehemently. "I have every right to speak up. It's _my_ body that's in jeopardy here, okay?"

I pursed my lips. "Aren't you on birth control or something?"

Her eyes rolled. "Of course, dumbass, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned."

"I always wear protection, no matter how wasted I am. It was engraved into the back of my mind by both Esme and my mother growing up. I don't think there'd be a way for me not to remember, so don't worry. I'm not stupid enough to go without."

She shut up and the silence stretched between us again.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out "What's with the turtlenecks?"

She blushed a deep crimson and looked down to her lap so her hair covered her face. My brows furrowed. I mean, I knew wearing a turtleneck was embarrassing in itself, but not so much that she'd turn _that_ color. So what was bothering her? When she didn't answer, I asked again.

Her eyes flickered once towards mine before glancing down in her lap again. "Nothing," she said.

"Isabella, it's obviously something. You don't turn that color when it's nothing."

Her hand made its way behind her neck and she rubbed it lightly. "I have to," she whispered.

"What?"

She glanced around the room to see who was looking at her. When she saw that she was the only one, she leaned forward and pulled down one side of the turtleneck, exposing her neck. Only it wasn't the smooth, pale neck that I was used to seeing. This neck had a huge purple bruise forming at the base. I reached a hand forward and hesitated for a second, meeting her eyes. When she nodded, I continued forward and traced one finger lightly over the bruise.

"What happened?" I asked.

She raised an eyebrow, looking at me as if I were stupid. "That's only one. I've got six others from there all the way down my stomach, thanks to a certain _someone_," she emphasized with a pointed look at me.

"What'd I do?"

"Sucked on my neck, chest, and stomach until they bruised," she said in a flat tone.

I cringed. "Sorry."

She shrugged. "Whatever. I may not love it, but I have to deal with them for the next few weeks so I may as well get used to the turtlenecks, at least until they fade enough for me to be able to use makeup to cover them up." She let go of the edge of her shirt and it bounced back up to her neck. "Thanks for those, by the way," she said sarcastically. "_That_ made things awkward when Alice saw."

I tossed my hands up into the air. "Well, Jesus, Isabella. What the fuck were you showing Alice for?"

"I said it once before and I'll say it again. _You_ were the one that got me into that mess. Don't you dare blame me for anything that happened when it's just as much my fault as it is yours. And you can't get mad at me for telling Alice. You can't honestly say you didn't tell someone when you woke up?" she asked, her eyebrows rising like a knowing mother after their child was caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

I looked down. So I told Emmett. That wasn't that big of a deal. Alice was my _sister_. That'd be weird for Isabella to be sharing secrets about what I was like in bed and the hickeys I gave her with my own flesh and blood.

"Still, Isabella. My _sister_? You couldn't have at least chosen someone that wasn't related to me?"

"Fuck you, Edward Masen," she spat, standing up and heading towards the door.

For a moment, I almost let her go. But we had taken the same car, so even if she called someone she'd be outside for a while. I stood and, motioning to the waitress that I'd be right back, followed Isabella out into the front of the restaurant and found her sitting on a bench.

"The waitress was bringing out our food as I was leaving. It's going to get cold if you don't come back," I said quietly.

She looked up at me from the corner of her eye. "And why would I want to do that? So we can fight some more?" She shook her head and stood up so she was facing me. "Edward, the only reason I came out here today was so we could discuss what happened and what do to next. If I wanted to fight, I would have just come over to your apartment and brought up some old topic that we've fought about for years." She took a deep breath. "Edward, what happened the other night changed things drastically between us. You know that and I know that. So why are we still fighting? Why can't we, for once in our lives, be civil adults and just talk it out?"

I didn't have anything to say. She was right, and I knew it.

"I'll go back in there, but only if you promise that we talk about it. Calmly. Like the twenty-four year olds that we are."

I felt my head nod once, and I lead the way back inside, holding the door for her. When she sat down at the table in front of her food, she took a bite and looked at me, waiting for me to start.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I shouldn't have gotten angry earlier."

She finished her bite before saying anything. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have told Alice. Now, let's start talking. We've got a lot of ground to cover in a fairly short amount of time." I nodded, waiting for her to continue. "Like I said earlier, I'm not one to just fool around and let it go. I like to pride myself on not being slutty and skanky. I love that I'm able to say I've never had sex without a relationship first."

"So," I said. "What do you want to do about us? A relationship isn't really in the cards for us, no matter how much this changed for us. We were pretty much cursed from the start; we were destined to hate each other."

Isabella cocked her head to the side. "Were we destined to hate each other, or were we just destined to be pushed into the same things?"

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it," she said. "Our entire lives, we've been stuck together—quite involuntarily, might I add—doing everything that the other did. We had the same classes, the same college, the same job offer, the same everything. So are we really cursed to hate each other our entire lives, or are we just cursed to spend the rest of our lives following the other around?"

I took a bite from my turkey club and thought about it. "Don't the two go hand in hand, though? You could argue that too much time with someone will make you resent them."

"You could," she said. "I guess it depends on how you see it. Is the glass half empty or half full?"

I looked down at my diet coke and took a big sip. "I'd say it's half empty, now," I said.

Her eyes shut. "Edward, I'm trying to be calm but you're making it really hard for me to concentrate on not starting a fight with you." I could tell she was trying hard not to raise her voice or get angry, and I immediately felt bad. She was so much better at getting along than I was.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "It's still new to me." She nodded, telling me it was alright. "But could you just answer my question from earlier? You keep avoiding it."

"Which one?" she asked.

"What do you want? Would you prefer we were in a relationship and try to make it work, if only for a short amount of time? Or would you rather we just pretend this never happened and you just go on with your life and I go on with mine, and may the best man win with the publishing company? Honestly, it's up to you. Of course I have my preferences but I don't want to be an asshole if it makes you uncomfortable."

She sighed and took a bite of her sandwich. "Can I think about it for a little while? I know what I want, but I have to make a decision based on what's best for both of us. And what I want... well, I don't think it'll benefit either of us, let alone both."

I nodded. "Of course. Do you think you'd be able to make a decision by the end of lunch?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Let's just eat."

So we did. The silence was overwhelming, but it seemed as though the awkward pink elephant had disappeared. This was more of a comfortable silence than anything else. The only sounds were the occasional scrape of a fork against a plate or one of our glasses being set back down onto the table. Not even the old lady in the corner was making any noise.

In all honesty, I tried to picture what my life would be like if Isabella decided that we should try out a relationship. It was hard to picture. I couldn't really imagine myself being completely romantic for the girl I grew up despising.

But maybe she was right. Maybe we weren't supposed to hate each other, and maybe we both secretly knew that. We fought and competed, of course, but that wasn't to say we had never done anything nice for each other. Like that time senior year I helped her finish her chem test because she had gone two days without sleeping so she could study and ironically fell asleep in the middle of the test. Granted, I had purposely gotten a few wrong so we wouldn't have the exact same answers, but she still got an A.

Or all those times she had been there for me when I wasn't feeling well or was really down about my parents. Isabella was always there for me, lending her shoulder to cry on and someone to hold on to when it was absolutely necessary.

Maybe a relationship with Isabella wouldn't be so bad. But then what would happen when the time came and it was decided which one of us got the book printing? It seemed to me like that would just be a huge mess. And did I really want to get into that? Was she actually worth it, or would it be a wasted effort? To be honest, it could easily go either way. Would I be willing to sacrifice the friendship—or lack thereof—of someone I had grown up with, and would most likely see at every family get together for the rest of my life?

If she wanted to, I'd help her out. It was like she said: it was my fault we were here. I owed her _something_. And if that something was a relationship, even if it was only for a few days, I'd do it.

The check came after we finished eating, and I slipped my card in before Isabella could fight me. She put on a menacing face before slamming her wallet back into her purse.

"My treat," I said. "It's my fault we're here, I should be the one paying."

She huffed quietly. "Edward, I think I made a decision."

"Okay, let's hear it," I said. There were nervous butterflies attacking my stomach, but I did what I could to keep them at bay. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous, but I was. Maybe it was because I was dreading this confrontation. Or maybe it was because I was afraid she would choose to go back to how we were. That'd be easier, wouldn't it? Or maybe I was nervous that she'd want a relationship, and I wouldn't be the best person for the job.

"Edward... do you mind if we try out a relationship? Like, boyfriend girlfriend? Even if it's only for a few days, I really hate having done a one night stand. I've always hated them, and I feel like an awful hypocrite by having one. It'd make everything easier for me if we just dated for a little while. I'm sorry I'm so selfish, but this whole thing has been eating at me since that night and I just—"

"Shh," I said. "Isabella, stop. It's okay. I don't mind being your boyfriend, if only temporarily. But I do think we should have some ground rules before we do anything."

She nodded, looking to me to continue.

"First and foremost, let's keep this to ourselves. If you don't tell Alice, I won't tell Emmett. I think we both know that neither of them can keep a secret worth shit. So for now, it's just between you and me. Not anyone else."

"That sounds reasonable," she said. "I've got one, too. No serious romance. I mean, I'm not saying treat me like dirt, but there's no need to go out and buy me expensive jewelry because you think it'll 'match my eyes' or 'made you think of me.' I don't like that shit. Like at all."

I agreed with her. "That shouldn't be a problem, especially since there's a good chance this will be over within the week. Do you have any other rules?" She shook her head. "Good," I said. "How about, as a last rule, we can add rules throughout our... relationship. How's that?" I asked, signing the check when the waitress brought it back over.

"Fine," she said.

I slipped my credit card into my back pocket and stood, offering a hand to help her up. Even though we were technically dating now, I wasn't sure I was quite ready to start holding her hand. So I let go.

The car was as silent on the way home as it was on the way there. But, again, this silence wasn't terribly awkward. Granted, it wasn't easy, but it wasn't horrible. We both were just kind of... there.

And when we got back to her apartment, I wasn't sure how to say goodbye. So I just pulled her to my chest and gave her a hug.

"Thank you," she whispered into my shirt.

"No problem," I said. And as she disappeared into her apartment, I thought back to our little lunch date. Things had changed, that was for sure. Was our fighting over? I highly doubted it. But for now, we had reached a stalemate. Neither of us was going anywhere anytime soon.

I couldn't help but wonder what would become of us. And, I thought as her scent drifted into my nose from where she had imprinted herself onto my shirt, when she would stop smelling so amazing.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, so recently I've been getting a couple reviews about the lengths of the chapters. I just wanted to make it clear that, although I adore reading long chapters, it isn't that easy. I generally start writing on Monday or Tuesday (because I've got an insanely busy life) and long chapters just aren't possible all the time. So unfortunately, chapters will stay at about 4,000 words unless something big happens in the chapter. I'm sorry, but it's all I have time for. I'm only one person, and as much as I'd love to do a billion things at once, I can't. =/

Hope you liked the chapter—I did. :) But this isn't the end. Not by any means. This is just barely the middle. They can't go and ride off into the sunset if their horse still has three broken legs, you know? Anyway. That's all.

**500 reviews will get you a chapter this weekend.**

Love you,

cALLIEfornia BENches


	22. Prom

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N: **The response to the last chapter was definitely mixed. There was one or two that didn't like it at all, a handful that weren't quite sure, but I'm happy to report that most people liked it. Remember: they're not in a relationship because they're attracted to each other. They're in a relationship so Bella can sleep at night. They haven't agreed on how long it'll last, but don't expect it to be bunnies and roses quite yet. :)

PS even though it doesn't really pertain to the chapter, I was listening to "Heartless" by The Fray when I was writing this. It's a cover of Kanye's song. It's ten billion times better than the original, but I'm not a fan of Kanye, so I might be a bit biased.

Enjoy the super long chapter. It's over 6,500 words. It was actually kind of an accident... It wasn't supposed to be this long, but words just kept coming out. It's actually one of my favorite chapters that I've ever written. I love it. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 20: **Prom

_6 years ago_

Edward was ready.

He stood in front of the mirror, clad in his brand new tux that Esme insisted he got tailored to fit him exactly, even though there was a good chance he wouldn't ever wear a tux again until he got married.

Edward visibly shuddered at the thought. _Marriage_. It was like a dirty word in his mind. Commitment? Ew. The idea was repulsive, and Edward had no idea if he would ever be able to settle down and start a family. He just couldn't see himself doing it. He straightened his posture in the mirror and adjusted his bowtie. Edward Masen loved having a different girl every night too much; he'd never be able to give it up.

"Edward!" Esme called from the bottom of the stairs. "Edward, Jessica's here!"

To teenagers all over the world, tonight—prom night—was the biggest night of their lives. To Edward, it was just another dumb school dance where at least six girls would end up crying, four in the bathroom and two dramatically running through the 'no re-entry' doors, not even thinking for one second that they might just be a little overdramatic and want to come back when it all blew over in five minutes. He would much rather have stayed home with fast food and his piano, but he had made a deal with Jessica.

She was one of the only girls at school that he had yet to sleep with, and she promised to put out if they went to prom together. So Edward figured an hour or two at prom would be worth a night with Jessica Stanley. They had 'done everything but,' as people at his school referred to it, but it wasn't quite enough for Edward. She had kind of become a bit of a challenge.

And that challenge was one that would be completed successfully after this one night. And then it'd be over, and another girl would be checked off Edward Masen's list.

"Edward!" Esme called again, irritation seeping into her tone. If she knew Edward at all, he'd been ready for a while and just didn't feel like coming down. She wasn't completely oblivious; she knew her nephew wasn't the purest of the boys at his high school, but she always made sure he was being careful. And even though she may not approve of his lifestyle, she wasn't stupid enough to think she could convince him of anything otherwise. She just hoped that one day he'd grow out of it and be the gentleman that Esme knew Elizabeth raised him to be.

Jessica was standing eagerly in the entryway, gawking at the stairs as if it were her only lifeline. Esme couldn't hold back a quiet chuckle. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Wasn't the girl supposed to make the grand entrance? Leave it to Edward to have the girls dropping at his feet, willing to do pretty much anything for him.

She was pretty, Esme thought, but she knew her nephew could do so much better. Both she and Edward knew it, too, and knew she'd be around about as long as the next girl. Esme felt bad for the girl, but Jessica had to know what was coming for her. The way he treated women wasn't a secret.

At long last, Edward descended the stairs. He looked handsome, of course, but Esme itched to at least run a comb through his hair. She understood that his hair was attractive to the girls, but she wanted so badly to try and tame it. It just looked so... messy.

Jessica ran and practically jumped into his arms as Carlisle snuck up next to his wife. "The rest of the group is ready for pictures out on the back deck. Is Edward ready yet?" But his question didn't need to be answered as Edward and Jessica passed the couple and headed out onto the back deck. Esme smiled at her husband and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the sliding glass door that lead to the backyard of their house.

By the time they made it out there, the three couples were already smiling and posing for pictures. Jasper had his arms around Alice's waist and his chin resting on the top of her head. Alice was so grateful that he had decided to come home from college for the weekend to be with her. It may have been just a petty prom, but it meant the world to Alice that even though he graduated and had his own prom four years prior, he still wanted to be there for her.

Edward had his arm draped lightly around Jessica's waist and was smiling genuinely into the camera while Jessica more or less clung to him. It'd make for a weird picture, Edward thought, but he'd do pretty much whatever to get the night over with so he could just go back to the hotel he had gotten for them.

And last but not least, Bella was there with Demetri. He was the foreign exchange student that Bella had had a crush on ever since he arrived back in September. He was extremely nice to her, and Bella couldn't have been more excited when he asked her to prom. He did it perfectly, too. She simply found one rose on her desk in the beginning of each class, and then at the end of her last class, he got the woman at the office to call down 'the only woman in school who's carrying around half a dozen roses.' When she got there, he was standing in front of the office with one last rose, and he asked her to prom.

It had been romantic and over the top, but he explained that that was how they did it back in Italy, where he lived. And she had no reason to expect anything less from him. He really was quite the gentleman. And it didn't hurt that Renee was harboring a secret crush on him. Charlie didn't mind him, either. Demetri had the ability to charm his way into anyone and everyone's lives.

Everyone, it seemed, except for Edward. He was suspicious of Demetri, and Demetri knew it. At first, he had tried to win Edward over, but after a while he just shrugged it off and let himself act normal around him. It wasn't like Bella would ever listen to him if he went running off to her, making claims that he wasn't the person she thought he was. He had nothing to worry about.

After the parents had divided the kids up into genders, couples, singles, and groups, the six teenagers filed into the limo toward dinner, where their table had been waiting for them.

Of course not five minutes in, the three girls had to take a trip to the ladies' room together. Jasper followed after them a second later, wanting to find a restroom quickly so he wouldn't make Alice wait after dinner. This left Edward and Demetri awkwardly sitting at the table, reading their menus as if they were the most interesting novel in the world.

Demetri coughed, trying to soothe the tension. "So, Edward. I'm surprised you came out tonight. Alice told me you didn't want to go to prom. What's with the sudden change of heart?" he asked, trying to start conversation. The tension between the two of them was palpable; there was a good chance it'd break if one of them merely breathed wrong.

"Jessica offered a deal that was too good to pass up," he said simply.

"What, sex?" Demetri said with a laugh. He had been kidding, but one look on Edward's face told him he had been exactly right.

"Shit, Edward, you're only going to prom for the sex? These tickets were fifty dollars a piece. You're aware you spent a hundred dollars just to get some, right? That's practically prostitution."

Edward shrugged, setting his menu down and clasping his hands behind his head. "So? You probably did the same thing," he spat, trying to egg Demetri on.

"That may be, but the difference is I could have sex with any girl I wanted, Bella included, without having to pay any money. At least the girls at Forks High aren't sick of me yet."

Edward's eyes narrowed at the man sitting across the table from him. "You bastard," he said. "You're just using her, aren't you?"

"And what do you call what you're doing to Jessica?"

"Don't compare Jessica to Bella. Jessica's a cheap slut. Bella prides herself on not being that way." Edward shook his head vehemently. "Don't take that away from her. We may not get along, but I've known her practically my entire life." Edward realized that he sounded like he was secretly pining after her, so he quickly tried to explain himself a little better. "What I mean is, sex is the only thing I have more of than Bella. And I need to keep that if I'm going to keep my lead."

"Or what, Masen? You'll tell on me?" Demetri's gaze was challenging, and Edward never turned down a challenge. So he simply smiled in return to Demetri's comment and kept his thoughts to himself. He'd get Bella to believe him before the night was over, and that's all that needed to be done.

Thankfully, the four others decided to take their seats at the table. The heated gaze between the two boys was lost on them, though, and Demetri simply wrapped his arm around Bella and scooted her chair closer. She smiled and leaned up against him as she started scanning the menu for something she felt like eating, completely oblivious to what had just transpired at that very table.

* * *

After the bill was paid, the six of them went to climb back into the limousine. But Edward grasped Bella's arm lightly before she could step through the car door.

"Isabella, wait," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

He bit his lip and glanced into the limo before quickly deciding to shut the door so they wouldn't be overheard. "Listen, I know we aren't ever that nice to each other, but I need to warn you about something. Demetri's a douche bag. Please, whatever you do, don't sleep with him tonight, okay? You'll regret it later."

She hitched an eyebrow. "And you're telling me this _why_?"

"Because," he said. "I know you haven't done anything like that before and I don't want you to waste your first time on an asshole like him. Really, Isabella, he's a tool."

"That's weird, because he seemed to win everyone else over. It seems to me that the problem here is _you_, not him. So I'd appreciate it if maybe you just shut up and not tell me what I can and cannot do. Charlie likes him, Renee likes him, everyone likes him. So you're just going to have to suck it up for the night because we've rented a hotel room, and there's no way I'm not going to be there after the dance is over. Got it?" She poked him in the chest.

He shrugged and let out a hard breath. "Fine. Have it your way. But don't expect me to be there when you find out what a real dickwad he is. Because it's only a matter of time before you do."

Bella glanced at the car behind her and shook her head. "You know what, Edward, I know what this is about. Our whole lives, we've been competitive. There's no way around it. But don't you think this is taking it a little too far? Trying to convince me that the guy I'm going to have sex with is a bad guy? You know, it would have been a little more believable if you had just told me he had herpes or something. Really. That might have stopped me. But knowing that he's a bad guy when it obviously isn't true? That's not going to stop me, Masen."

And with that, she climbed back into the car and Edward watched as she snuggled up next to Demetri. He didn't miss the smirk Demetri shot him, either.

Instead, he ignored it and accepted the suction cups that seemed to have grown on Jessica's hands since the night started. She didn't ever let go of him. She reminded him of an octopus, the way she seemed to be all limbs and clingy fingers. But Edward loved attention like this. He thrived on it. So he stayed quiet in the corner with her as Alice and Bella discussed what they thought the other girls were wearing and who'd get prom king and queen.

And as soon as they arrived at the school gym, the couples split up into their respective groups. Alice and Jasper went off into their own world, and filled the night with a perfect combination of dancing and cuddling at the tables. Edward and Jessica joined Jessica's friends and their dates at the three tables in the middle of the room. Bella and Demetri started their night off with dancing.

And dancing with Demetri was a perfect balance of sexy and sweet. Bella couldn't lie; he was probably the best dancer she'd ever danced with. He knew when to sway her gently to the music and when to grind her hard back into him. It was during the latter that she felt his prominent arousal resting on her lower back. She grinned despite herself and pressed her ass closer to it, wanting him to know it was okay.

"Bella," he whispered in a husky breath.

She let out a soft hum and wrapped her arms around his neck behind her. Immediately, he delved into her neck and started pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses along the thrumming veins that showed through her nearly translucent skin.

"Bella," her name came again, but this time it wasn't his voice. It was Alice's. Bella couldn't help the glare that positioned itself over her face as she tried to shoo Alice away with her eyes. Couldn't she see that she was finally enjoying herself? Why did she have to interrupt at a time like this? But when Alice motioned for Bella to follow her, she had no choice but to apologize to Demetri and pull his ear down to her mouth, whispering that she'd be back soon as he stood abandoned in the middle of the dance floor with a woody.

But Bella didn't seem to notice, as she quickly and quietly followed Alice to the small area outside that had been reserved for the people at prom that needed some air. Really, though, it was just being used as a place to hookup. Not that it was their fault; it was a beautiful night. They couldn't have asked for a better one themselves. It was one of the like three days of the year that Forks had a clear sky. And even though that usually meant an extremely cold night, tonight it was relatively warm. It was probably about sixty degrees, Bella presumed.

"We need to talk," Alice said, putting one hand on each of Bella's arms.

"About what?" Bella giggled. "Are you breaking up with me?" she asked with a sarcastically hurt tone.

Alice rolled her eyes. "No, Bella. I need to talk to you about what's going to happen tonight with Demetri." Her voice lowered so those around her couldn't hear their conversation. "From the looks of things, you're going to the hotel afterwards?" Bella nodded as she blushed, and Alice continued. "Listen, chances are it's going to be awkward. First times always are."

"Was yours and Jasper's?"

"Of course. It helped a little that he himself wasn't a virgin and could help me through it, but it was still a little awkward. It'll probably be the same for you and Demetri tonight. He's not a virgin, right?" Bella nodded in affirmation. They hadn't outright talked about it, but Bella was almost positive he wasn't a virgin. "He's a sweet guy, he'll help you through it. But be careful, alright? I know you've been on birth control since you were like fifteen, but _please_ use a condom. I don't want a little Demetri running around here, especially since he's going back to Italy in a few months."

Bella cringed. "Don't remind me."

"Bella, this is what we talked about. You said you were fine losing it to a guy who wouldn't always be here."

"I know, I know," she said, sitting down on a cement ledge that held a garden to the side of the building. "I do. But still. It's just a weird reminder that I have no idea what he's going to want after tonight. Is he going to want a relationship for the few more months that he's here? Or is he going to want nothing to do with me after tonight?"

Alice sighed and sat herself next to Bella. "Babe, I want you to be prepared for the worst. Demetri's a good kid, but he's also a man. They're known to be a little unpredictable. I just want you to be careful with yourself tonight, okay? And even if it turns out that he doesn't want a relationship, at least your first time was with a nice guy," she said. Bella sighed. "And no matter what, you know I'll always be here for you. So will Rosalie and Em," she emphasized.

Bella's head nodded once.

"Now let's get you back inside."

* * *

This was it; the moment of truth.

Demetri and Bella had left about ten minutes after the prom king and queen were announced—Edward Masen and Lauren Mallory, surprise, surprise—to their hotel that they had bought for the night a few minutes from the school. The ride had been quiet and filled with a tension that Bella wasn't that familiar with. Sexual tension.

Sure, she had been kissed and she had been awkwardly felt up over her clothes. She even let her last boyfriend get her bra off, but that was the extent of the relationship. So to put it lightly, Bella was nervous. She was nervous she'd mess something up and completely ruin it for the both of them.

But right then, as she stood in only her bra and panties in front of the hotel bathroom mirror, she tried to talk herself into being more confident. Her prom dress was hanging from a hanger on the shower curtain rod, her shoes neatly set on the floor beneath the bathtub, and her hair pulled out of the intricate hairstyle Alice had done for her.

She actually looked pretty, she told herself. Her hair looked nice and wavy with just the right amount of curl, and her new bra and panty set that Alice had insisted on buying when they went shopping didn't look terrible on her. It wasn't skanky, either, so that helped out her confidence a little. She ran a hand over her face lightly, not wanting to ruin the small amount of makeup that was resting on her face. She almost took it off, but it made her feel pretty. So she kept it on.

A knock came from the door. "Bella? Is everything alright in there?" Demetri asked with his sexy Italian voice.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute," she responded. She listened as his footsteps traveled from the bathroom door to the other side of the small room. She knew she had been in the room long enough, and it was time for her to finally get to it. He had been patient enough.

She took a deep breath and stepped quietly from the bathroom. The first thing she saw was that his tux was also hanging, but it was hanging from the miniscule closet that the hotel provided, just above both of their overnight bags. The next thing she noticed was that Demetri was sitting on the edge of the bed in only his boxers, watching her cautiously.

"Hi," she said quietly as she bit her lip.

His lips pulled into a smile. "Hi." He patted the seat next to him on the bed.

She blushed and took the spot he was motioning to, sitting a few inches away from him. "Listen, Bella," he said. "I don't want to push you to do anything. If you aren't ready, I'm not ready, okay? I know this is your first time, and I want to make this as painless as possible for you. Tell me if you want me to stop."

Bella nodded and looked over at his face. He looked like he was waiting for her to make the first move. So she did. She inched closer towards him and closed of the distance between their mouths, pressing their lips together in a tight embrace. Demetri let her set the pace, only opening his mouth when her tongue traced over his lips.

Gently, he put a hand behind her back and led her so she was lying down and he hovered lightly over her. She wrapped both arms around his neck and one of her hands tangled into his hair, pressing him closer to her mouth.

He shifted the weight to his left arm and used the other one to snake under her back, undoing the clasp with one hand. Bella tried hard not to let it bother her that he was able to not only undo the clasp with one hand, but get it on the first try, no less. She slipped the thought into the back of her mind as he pulled her nice new black bra from her chest.

"You're so beautiful," Demetri whispered, taking his time as he moved from her lips, to her neck, to her chest.

She let out a straggled moan as he did what he could to make her feel good now, as there was a good chance she wouldn't be so blissful in a few minutes. Maybe it would be best for him to just get it over quickly, and that way she'd feel better quicker. He'd skip the foreplay for now and just delve straight into it. No pun intended.

He reached between them and slowly drew her damp panties down her legs, tossing them to the side as she started working on his. He kicked them off the bed and settled himself back over her, the two of them completely naked, now. Bella could feel the butterflies viciously attacking her stomach as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded, and was vaguely aware as he reached over and rolled a condom onto himself. He settled on top of her again and kissed her with as much passion as he could muster as he lined himself up and started to push in.

Immediately, Bella cringed. He wasn't huge, but he was definitely thick, and he was stretching her. A lot. And it hurt. A lot. She felt like she was being split in two. It only hurt that much more when he reached her barrier and pushed through it without a second thought. She whimpered, but he didn't seem to notice.

"God damn you're tight," he mumbled as he pushed himself farther into her.

"Stop, please," she croaked quietly. Her voice didn't even sound like her own. She bit her lip and clenched her eyes shut, trying with all her might to hold back the tears that were slowly but surely making their way to her eyes. She didn't want to be crying. She wanted to be enjoying herself in the throes of passion. But it wasn't happening.

She could feel his breath on her face, heavy in anticipation for what was going to happen next. She didn't want to keep him waiting, so she nodded once and waited form the pain to kick up again. And it did when he pushed farther into her, but it subsided when he drew himself out. She thought he might be taking a break, so she adjusted herself accordingly and relaxed.

But he pushed back in, not only scaring her but hurting her, too. She thought the pain was supposed to have gone by now. She didn't _want_ to be in pain, she wanted to help bring him to his climax and wanted him to help her climax. But it seemed fairly one-sided. She thought maybe it was supposed to be this way. Maybe it was all about the guy.

Bella simply focused on relaxing and not letting the pain get to her as she simply laid there, mute, underneath Demetri. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, so she just relaxed her head back and waited for him to finish. Maybe they would do it again and it wouldn't be so hard for her. Maybe it was just the first time that was supposed to be so unfulfilling and unsatisfying.

Accepting this, Bella let him have his way with her.

But when he finished and emptied himself into the condom, she didn't feel euphoric and happy. She watched as he kissed her forehead before he got up and went to the bathroom to clean himself off. She felt used, dirty. Like a toy that he just needed to get some release.

It was then that Bella knew she wasn't going to be having sex with him again that night. Really, all she wanted to do was dress in some sweats and fall asleep in the warmth of her own bed. But she wouldn't be home until tomorrow, so she had to deal with what she was dealt. Unfortunately, Alice had prepared her for a lust-filled night full of fiery passion and hadn't thought that it might be a complete failure, so she only had skimpy lingerie packed in her overnight bag.

Still naked, she pulled herself under the covers and waited for him to return from the bathroom. She was too afraid to look, but she was pretty sure she was bleeding at least a little. She pressed her thighs together and curled into a fetal position on her side in an attempt to keep it from getting on the sheets.

When Demetri returned from the bathroom, he smiled at her and reached for his boxers, pulling them over his legs. He went over to his side of the bed and knelt down so he was level with her. He captured her lips with his own for a few moments before pulling away and smiling at her. She forced a smile back.

He didn't say anything as he climbed into bed behind her. She simply got up and, grabbing her bag, closed the bathroom door behind her. She cleaned herself up—she did have a few decent sized drops of blood on her thighs—and fished through her overnight bag for something decent to wear. She found a nightgown that, although wasn't exactly decent, reached a little below the middle of her thigh. She slipped it over her head and, unable to bear looking at herself in the mirror, returned back to the bed where Demetri was snoring softly.

They hadn't spoken a word since he finished, and she was glad they wouldn't. It was too difficult for her to talk about, especially just then. So she simply turned off the light and climbed back into her fetal position, only cringing slightly when Demetri's sleeping form threw his arm over her waist and pulled her to his chest.

* * *

Bella sat with her knees curled up into her chest on Alice's bed after recounting the night. This time, she couldn't help some of the tears that escaped.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry," Alice cooed, running a hand down her friend's back.

"I just felt so... used. I don't think I've ever felt so low in my life, to be honest. And maybe I just had too-high of expectations for it, but it was nothing like I expected. I didn't get anything from it. I just felt like a cheap whore."

Alice clucked her tongue, telling her without words that she should know that she was wrong. "Did he say anything this morning when you guys woke up?"

Bella shook her head. "Nothing of importance. It was just like it had been before prom. Like we were just friends that hadn't had sex the night before. How's that supposed to make me feel? It was like he had no sense of class at all. I just don't understand how something that's supposed to make you feel so happy made me feel so... empty. And it's like I can't get rid of that feeling. I'm reminded every time I fucking walk, it hurts so bad." Bella scoffed. "I guess that's karma, right? Maybe I should have listened to Edward."

"No, Bella, you shouldn't have. My brother didn't know what he was talking about. There's no way he could have known that your first time was going to be so terrible."

Silence fell between the two of them for a few moments. "I'm going to go get some water," Bella said. "Or maybe some Gatorade. I need the electrolytes," she said sarcastically as she wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks.

She climbed down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she fished a cup from the cupboard and filled it with water. She sipped it casually as she leaned against the counter in her baggy shirt and sweatpants. Her hair hadn't been brushed from the night before, and instead had just been pulled into a messy ponytail. Her makeup was smudged, she was sure, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She just wanted to curl up into a ball until it all passed: the emotions, the pain... Demetri.

Her eyes closed as she took another sip.

"You look like shit," Edward said as he came into the kitchen and started making himself a sandwich. "Long night?" he asked, a bite in his tone.

Bella didn't respond, not wanting to talk about it.

"What, too embarrassed to talk about how you gave it up to someone you didn't even know?" Bella took a deep breath, trying to control the tears in her eyes. "Was it everything you ever hoped for?" he said in a sarcastically dreamy voice.

Bella's heart twisted and her chest tightened. She didn't want to talk about this with him. She already knew she was a whore, she didn't need him telling her the same thing. She just wanted to leave. So she pushed herself away from the counter and started out of the kitchen.

But that wasn't enough for Edward. He had to have the last word, even though she hadn't said a word to piss him off or annoy him. "I won't lie, Isabella, I've met a lot of whores in my life, but only a select few didn't mind putting out after the first date."

As mortifying as it was, a sob escaped her throat and he knees collapsed underneath her. She leaned against the counter for support and covered her face with her hands, unable to stop the flow of water of the embarrassingly loud sobs escaping her chest. She felt Edward approach her, but he didn't do anything. What would he have done? Comforted the girl he just called a whore? Apologize? No, those weren't in Edward Masen's nature.

"What the fuck did you do?" Bella heard Alice's voice ask through her tremors.

"Nothing," he said, backpedaling. "I didn't do anything."

"I'll deal with you later," Alice said as she led Bella back to her room and laid her down on the bed. She rubbed her back for a few minutes before a knock sounded at her door and Edward popped his head in, a somewhat guilty look on his face.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked over Bella's sobs. Alice leaned down and whispered to Bella that she'd be back in a minute before following her twin outside into the hall. "Is she okay?" Edward asked, glancing over Alice's shoulder to where the heart wrenching sounds were coming from.

Alice pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Please tell me you didn't mention anything about Demetri or last night. Please tell me you aren't as big of an asshole as I think you are and please tell me you didn't try to rub in her face that Demetri wasn't who she thought he was."

_Guilty, guilty, guilty, and guilty_, Edward thought, but he didn't say anything out loud.

Alice took his silence to confirm everything she had just said and didn't hesitate in slapping her brother across the face. He rubbed his cheek absently, but didn't deny the necessity of it. "You fucker. You don't deserve details, but I want to make you feel absolutely horrible about yourself for what you did. She came over here in tears because her first time sucked. He got off, she didn't. She felt used, like a cheap whore, she said. And I just spent an hour listening to how horrible and empty she felt about it all. And then, the icing on the cake, you decide to go and fuck with her, calling her a whore. What kind of heartless asshole does that? You _never_ call a girl a whore, no matter what the circumstance." Alice shook her head. "I can't believe you sometimes."

Edward couldn't do anything but stare after her as she disappeared back into her room. He slumped against a wall and knocked his head against it. He was pathetic. In his own stupid masochistic way he had to prove himself right to Isabella, no matter what.

And in doing so, he thought he might have broken her.

* * *

**A/N:** Hope this explains a little better why she didn't want just a one night stand with Edward. :) She had a bit of a bad experience.

And _oh, my gosh_, if you haven't ever read any Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson fanfic, START NOW. It's not even funny how addicted I am. I actually groaned today when I realized that I had to stop reading in order to finish this chapter. Haha. Leave a review asking for the link if you want the website I've been reading it from. With time, I'm probably going to start writing some. It'll just be me (Allie), though. I'll let you know when that happens. (No, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing Cursed or Turning Eighteen or not write the new story Ben and I have. It means I'm going to be doing to extra summer writing. :) )

**530 reviews gets a chapter over the weekend.**

Anyway, later, love.

cALLIEfornia BENches


	23. Not So Bad

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :) We also do no own the story excerpt. That would belong to the lovely jmeyer.

**A/N:** Hey guys! I'm typing to you from my laptop. Yes, folks, my dad fixed my laptop. Well, kind of. He added this massive like… extension to the back, and even though it's a little chunkier now, it works like a charm, and I've got all these cool new adapters in the back. Haha. I'm excited to use them.

There were some questions about the last chapter about Edward's skanky-ness. And it was my fault, I should have made this more clear, but that was just a phase he went through in high school. He's not still like that, it was only for a year or so. And yes, he was obnoxiously mean to Bella and that's inexcusable, but he had no idea that it went so terribly. His need to prove himself right kind of took over and he said some things that made her feel worse. But, in his own defense, he hadn't the slightest clue that something happened that would affect her so strongly. He was going to apologize when Alice took him outside. Hope that helps a little.

Finally, jmeyer so gratefully helped us out again and provided us with Bella's novel excerpt. So everything in the beginning that's italicized is hers, not ours. And be sure to check out her story Eight Years Later if you haven't already, and don't forget to put her on your Author Alert because she's about to come out with an amazing story called The Last Goodbye. I'm so excited for it. It's amazing. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 21:** Not So Bad

**BPOV**

So I was dating Edward Masen. It was official.

How did I feel about it? Like shit. I had practically forced the man to be in a relationship with me because I was selfish and couldn't stand the idea of having slept with someone and now he was roped into it all. Not to mention, I couldn't stand the guy on a regular basis, let alone be around him long enough to actually _date_ the guy. I had no idea how I was going to get this done.

And then, on top of everything else, I couldn't forget the fact that we were still in a competition. I still had to write my novel, and so did he. If we didn't, neither of us would get the novel published and the spot would go to waste. And I wouldn't let that happen. Whether I was dating Edward or not, I needed my book published.

I sighed as I sat at my computer and contemplated what should happen next with my characters. I was only a chapter away from the climax, but it was at the awkward stage that all stories hit at least once. If I went straight into the climax, it would be rushed. But the chapter that needed to be put in would be tedious and repetitive, so I needed to find something to make it more interesting.

My fingers tapped against the keyboard as I read the last few sentences of where I left off with my protagonist, Emma, and her lost love, Jack. Then I continued writing.

_After work I would head up to my bedroom, and spend the evening in seclusion. Occasionally I would venture downstairs and eat dinner with the girls, but most often I would feign tiredness or a large lunch to avoid that scene. My roommates liked to keep up the charade of a normal life, but inside the four walls of my bedroom there were no pretenses. Inside these four walls I was able to make my escape and just be. I usually just passed the time lying in bed staring at my ceiling, hoping that tonight would be different than all of the other nights, hoping that tonight I would be granted a reprieve from the nightly visits. _

_I sighed and rolled over in bed. Tonight would be different. Tonight I would be strong. I would finally put an end to this. I would say goodbye for the last time. _

_I reached over and opened my desk drawer, pulling out the newspaper clipping. I ran my fingers along the crumpled edges of the paper. I had done this so many times the ink was starting to fade. Before long there would be nothing left. It would be a wrinkled piece of gray paper, no one ever knowing the significance it holds. A cool breathe of air caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. I knew I was no longer alone. _

"_What are you doing, Jack?" I asked, the exasperation evident in my voice. _

"_I'm making sure you are okay," his soft voice called out from behind me. _

"_That's not your job anymore," I reminded him dispassionately. _

"_I won't abandon you," he insisted._

"_Too late," I whispered to myself. "Jack, things can't go on like this." _

"_You don't have to do this, Emma. You don't have to be this way," he told me, confusion and pain clear in his voice. _

"_Yes," I said, straining to keep my voice from wavering. "I do."_

"_How did we get here?" he asked me poignantly. "How did we end up like this?"_

"_We've been through this Jack," I started to say. _

"_We used to have fun together," he interrupted. "Things used to be so easy between us."_

"_They were," I said, inhaling deeply in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. _

"_Like the cabin trip," he said somewhat hopefully. "Do you remember the cabin trip back in college?"_

"_Of course I do," I replied. "Do you really think I would forget that?"_

_That trip had been monumental for us. It marked the first time our parents trusted us enough to spend time together, without their supervision. We had gone away with another couple, our friends Paul and Jessica. Paul was on the football team with Jack. He was the quarterback to Jack's wide receiver. Jessica and I worked on the newspaper together, and had spent many hours bitching about our poor excuse for an editor. They had started dating around the same time that Jack and I got together, so we often double dated with them. _

_We spent three blissful days at Paul's cabin near Sylvan Lake. It was the perfect time in June, warm and sunny. We spent the days at the lake; jumping off a raft in the middle, racing one another, splashing, tanning, playing catch. It was one of those times that just made you feel alive, like a kid again. _

_As dusk approached, we would head back to Paul's cabin. The boys would a huge campfire while Jessica and I made dinner. Jess and I giggled that it was kind of like playing house, us making dinner for our guys. The four of us would dine on gourmet meals consisting of grilled cheese, frozen pizza, and microwave hot dogs. After the requisite dessert of s'mores, we would retreat into separate bedrooms._

_Jack and I would cuddle close to one another and enjoy a few chaste kisses before we fell asleep, except for the last night. That night I heard noises coming from Jessica and Paul's bedroom. At first, I ignored it. I didn't want to be the one to acknowledge the noise first, and certainly did not want to acknowledge it if Jack didn't hear it. Finally, we both burst out laughing. The laughing lasted a few minutes, until we both feel comfortably silent. Then Jack gave me a look. _

_We had talked about it a few times, we had considered the possibility. I didn't need him to slip a promise ring on my finger or to plan an evening filled with roses and candles and mood music. I just wanted it to be right. And that night, in the tent with Jack, it was right. It was sweet and quick and silent. There were quick kisses and clumsy caresses. And soon after it started, it was over. It was the first, it was our first. _

"_That night…," Jack inhaled sharply, "That was one of the best nights of my life."_

"_Mine too," I whispered, tears streaming down my face._

"_Why can't it be that way again?" he asked, exasperated. "Why can't we go back to that?"_

"_Jack, you know why," I said with difficulty. "I can't keep pretending that things are the same when they aren't. I can't live like that."_

"_Do you remember the first time I asked you out on a date?" Jack asked, blatantly changing the subject._

"_Of course," I couldn't help but smile as I wiped the tears from my eyes. "I remember all the times you asked me out. You were so damn persistent."_

"_I had to be," Jack chuckled. "You kept turning me down."_

"_Oh honestly, what did you expect me to say?" I laughed. "I had a boyfriend."_

"_It was just a little complication," Jack brushed it off. "You liked me. I know you did. You still could have said yes."_

"_Even if I had been single, I wouldn't have said yes," I admitted playfully._

_Jack scoffed, "And why is that?"_

"_You didn't even have the balls to ask me yourself," I said. "Jeff asked for you."_

"_He was my wing man," Jack protested."But… I can see your point about that time. The second time though. You have to admit, that was romantic."_

"_You asked me out in the cereal aisle at Cub Foods."_

"_You love cereal!" Jack insisted. "And I asked you out in front of the Captain Crunch! You told me they were your favorite."_

When a knock sounded at my door, I fought the temptation to ignore it. I needed to work on my story. And chances were, it was just Craig wanting something stupid. He could wait until later.

But whoever was there was persistent, and they knocked again. I let out an exasperated sigh before saving my work and moving over to the door. A peek through the peephole showed a very nervous Edward. I watched silently as he ran a hand through his hair and rocked back onto his heels. To be perfectly honest, I probably wouldn't have answered if we hadn't decided the day before that we were… in a relationship.

I unlocked the door and pulled it open. He smiled, so I smiled back. They were both a little forced, but I think we both chose to forego that thought.

He ran a hand through his hair again and looked down at the floor. "Hey," he said. "So, I was thinking this morning…," he drifted off, leaving the sentence hanging for a moment as if he was trying to complete the thought in his head before he said it out loud. "I was thinking that, since we're technically dating now, we should probably go out on a date or two." I stared at him not sure exactly what he was getting at. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask if I was stupid. "So?" he asked.

I still didn't get it. I huffed and shrugged. "So? Yeah, I agree with you. Is that what you're asking? If I agree that we should probably go on dates since we're dating?"

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Hey," I said shortly, pulling the door a little closer to the jamb so I could shut it at a moment's notice. "Did you come here to ask me something or just act like a ten year old? Because I have no problem with you leaving. I was in the middle of something and—"

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, effectively cutting me off before he quickly raised his voice to talk to me again. "Do you want to go on a date today or not? Because if not, that's fine, but I figured since we're going to actually do this whole dating thing, we better get our acts together and act like adults."

I scoffed. "Said the boy who just rolled his eyes at me."

"Isabella." His voice sounded like a mix between defeat and scolding. "I know you don't like it and I don't like it, but we're dating. And that's that. So as far as I can see, we can go about it two ways. We can fight with each other the whole time in which case we should just end it now because I refuse to put up with that, or we could date, act like civil beings, and then in a few weeks we can call it quits. It's your call, because I'm not the one that's wearing the pants in this relationship; you are."

My eyes closed and I took a deep breath to calm myself. "You're right. I apologize. Yes, Edward, I'd like to go on a date with you. It means a lot to me that you're taking this seriously. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he said. "I was thinking we could just go up to Greenlake and walk for a little while, maybe have a picnic?" When I nodded my approval, he continued. "Okay, I've got to run by the store, then. Meet me down in front of the building in a half hour or so?"

"Sounds good," I said. "I've got to finish getting ready anyway."

He nodded. "I'll see you then." And without so much as a wave, he turned and headed toward the elevators. And as I closed my door after him, I couldn't help but wonder what I was getting myself into.

* * *

I found myself in front of the building in a comfortable pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and my hair in a ponytail. I knew Greenlake like the back of my hand; not only was it usually pretty breezy there, and if we were planning on walking all of the way around, it'd be a long walk. So I opted for comfortable, and decided against a skirt. I had decided not to bring a sweatshirt, but was beginning to regret that decision. It wasn't very cold—in fact, it was a fairly warm day for Seattle—but there was a definite chill in the air. I know it'd be a little worse at Greenlake and I was afraid I'd get a little cold. But I didn't want to risk running back up to my apartment and missing Edward.

When he pulled up to the curb, he got out of the driver's side and jogged over to the passenger side, the side closest to me and the curb, and open the car door for me.

I sent him a surprised look. "Thank you," I said as climbed into the car.

The left side of his mouth hitched up and revealed a little dimple in his cheek. It wasn't nearly as large as his brother's, but it was still there. "My mother always taught me to be a gentleman." I watched as he gently shut my door and went back over to his side.

Edward's car in one word was simply… Edward. It smelled exactly like him. It wasn't a certain cologne or anything, it was just Edward's smell. It was also ridiculously tidy and clean. Granted, if I knew Edward _at all_, he spent about as much time with this car as he did in his own apartment. Even in high school, he had a weird obsession with it that I never understood.

"Ready to go?" he asked as he got in. He didn't wait for an answer before he pulled off into traffic.

Conversation towards the beginning of the car ride was terse, but somehow we got on the topic of Alice and Jasper and their trip to France that they would be leaving to in a few days time, and the conversation started flowing from there. It wasn't even completely awkward when we pulled into a parking spot at Greenlake, paid the parking meter, and we walked side by side down to the water.

Edward was carrying a picnic basket in his right hand, complete with a blanket folded over the top and everything. I vaguely wondered if Alice helped him put it together.

"So do you want to walk first, or eat first?" he asked me as we approached the track-like path that circled around the entire lake.

I shrugged. "I don't really care. How about we just walk for a while and then we can stop at one of the playgrounds and eat then?"

"Sure." He smiled and we started along the pathway around the lake. We were silent for a while as we strolled along the path, mindful of the passing bicyclists, runners, and roller bladers that passed us. As we came upon the first rest stop, he turned to me. "Want to get some ice cream while we walk?" he asked.

I nodded and he lead us over to the small, portable ice cream stand. The only two flavors were vanilla and chocolate, and you could only get it on a waffle cone. The ice cream was worth it, though. It was the best ice cream in the Greater Seattle Area.

When we got to the stand, I ordered one scoop of vanilla and Edward ordered one scoop of each on his. When I reached into my pocket for some money, he put a hand on my arm to still it. "I've got it," he said as he fished in his back pocket for his wallet.

"No, no, no," I said, holding out the ten dollar bill. "I insist."

"Isabella," he warned playfully. "I'm the one taking you out on a date. Please let me pay."

I shook my head vehemently and pushed my hand in front of Edward's so the cashier would take it. But Edward was persistent, so I resorted to childish measures. I gasped and pointed to something behind him as he turned his head to see what was so shocking. Of course there was nothing there, but it gave me enough time to pluck the money from his hand and take off down the path.

I was only vaguely aware of the both Edward and cashier shouting after me. I dodged my way through the people, making sure to keep my ice cream steady in my hand as I weaved, but it didn't take long for Edward to catch up to me. I was sure he was probably just following in my wake.

He snaked his free arm around my waist and pulled me back so I would stop trying to run away. Consequently, I ended up leaning back against his chest. I'd like to say that it was comfortable and that I didn't mind being this close to him, but the fact of the matter was that we just weren't quite there yet. I still would need a while to be that comfortable around him.

"Gotcha," he said quietly, right by my ear.

So instead of responding like a normal human being, I spun until we were face to face. I couldn't help but realize that we were closer than I had originally anticipated, and that his arm was still draped around my lower back. His gaze dropped to my lips, and for about a second and a half I thought he might kiss me.

_What. The. Hell._ This was Edward Masen we were talking about, here. Edward Anthony Masen. And unless I was poorly mistaken, he was about to kiss me. I mean, I knew we had already slept together and kissing shouldn't have been such a big deal, but it was. Everything seemed so much bigger, so much more important, now that neither of us were drunk out of our minds or just coming off a hangover. It seemed like such a big step to take with someone I never really got around to not hating.

"No one paid for the ice cream," I spat, effectively ruining the moment. While a part of me wanted to smack myself upside the head for doing something like that, the other half of me wiped my brow. I wasn't ready for that quite yet.

He coughed awkwardly and stepped back once. "Yeah," he said. "I left our picnic basket there with him as collateral, so he knew we would come back and pay. Why don't you wait here while I go and get it?" he asked, not waiting for an answer before disappearing into the crowd.

I sat down on one of the hundreds of benches that seemed to be surrounding the lake as I waited for him to return. Honestly, it was a little unsettling. This relationship—or whatever it was—was moving to fast. Although actually, any movement at all would be too fast for me. I knew I was the one that wanted the relationship in the first place, but I had no idea it would be that hard to just sit with him and have a normal conversation.

Maybe I was getting in over my head. Maybe this relationship wasn't a good idea.

But before I could ponder the idea further, Edward returned.

"That was quick," I said, standing up. I fell into step beside him as we walked forward.

"Yeah, there wasn't a line or anything and I left him all of my change for being such a good sport about it all. I felt bad for the guy." He and I were silent for a minute or two, with the exception of the gravel scattered on the top of the pavement crunching underneath our feet. "Listen, Isabella, I'm sorry about earlier. It was uncalled-for, and I shouldn't have pushed you into that awkward situation."

"It's okay," I said quietly. "After all, you're technically my boyfriend. So why shouldn't you be able to kiss me, you know? It's just one of those things that are generally a given after a relationship is decided. It was my fault for being so dumb about it all."

"It's fine."

We walked until we reached a children's playground. There was a nice piece of shaded grass just to the right of it; it was perfect for a picnic. So when Edward offered it, I couldn't turn it down.

Just as we reached our spot, a tiny little girl who looked to be about four or five years old with curly, white-blonde hair ran up to Edward and threw her arms around his leg, wrapping it in a tight hug.

He smiled down at her before crouching to her level. "Hello, there," he said with a laugh. "What's your name?"

"Lila," she said. "What's yours?"

"My name's Edward."

She held out her hand professionally and got a determined look on her face. "It's nice to meet you, Edward." He put two fingers in her tiny palm and they shook hands. Lila seemed like the kind of little girl that even someone who hated children would find adorable. She had bright blue eyes and her hair fell down to the middle of her back. Even as a child, I could tell that she'd be a knockout when she got older. She'd have boys drooling all over her.

"Do you want to come and play with me? My mommy's busy talking with some of the other mommies, and so she told me to go make a friend to play with. So I chose you. Come play on the toy with me?"

"Didn't your mommy ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" Edward scolded lightly. But then he smiled. "You're lucky I'm a nice stranger. Not all strangers are as nice as me."

It wasn't mean enough to make her sad, but she still shrugged her shoulders to her ears. "I'm sorry, Mr. Edward."

"Don't be, Lila. Just be careful next time, okay?" he smiled at her before glancing at me, as if asking my permission.

"Go," I said, shooing him. "Go play."

He grinned widely before letting Lila lead him back to the huge playground. It looked funny with a girl who couldn't have been more than three feet tall tugging along a twenty-four year old like she was the little engine that could.

I watched thoughtfully as she started explaining something to him and he listened with rapt attention, hanging on her every word. This girl could charm the meanest man in town if she had to, and Edward was no exception. She had him wrapped around her tiny little finger. She tugged his shirt and motioned for him to come closer to her. When he did, she whispered something in his ear before pointing over in my direction.

My brows furrowed and I watched them a little more intensely.

Edward threw his head back and laughed before picking her up and tossing her onto his back. He then proceeded to stick his arms straight out and start running around the toy, making obnoxious airplane noises that I could even hear from where I was sitting. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips. He looked absolutely ridiculous, but Lila looked like she was having the time of her life. And that alone made me happy.

After a few more minutes of airplane, he flew her over to where our blanket was situated.

"Lila Airlines, coming in for the landing," Edward said in a voice that I think was supposed to sound like a pilot.

"No, no, no!" Lila shouted, giggling so hard she could hardly say anything else. "Don't put me down yet please!"

Edward smiled back at her as he sat down on the blanket. "I'll tell you what," he said as she climbed off his back and into his lap. "We can play airplane a little more after Miss Bella and I finish eating. But for right now, we have to have our lunch."

She smiled. "Okay."

"Lila! Lila!" a voice called through the playground. I looked over and saw a girl with light blonde hair wondering around the jungle gym. "Lila? Are you here somewhere? Where are you?"

"Lila," I said softly. "I think your mommy's looking for you." I motioned to the playground with my head.

"Oh," she said, disappointed. "I'll be _right_ back. Don't move, please." And she sprinted off to her mother.

Edward smiled after her as he pulled a sandwich from the basket and handed it to me, grabbing another for himself. "She was adorable," he said.

"You were great with her. What'd she ask you over there on the playground?"

The corner of his mouth hitched up in a smile. "Well the first thing she asked me was if you were my girlfriend. I told her yes, I hope you don't mind." I shook my head. We were dating, weren't we? Even if we didn't so much like each other? "And then she asked if she could be my girlfriend, too. I told her it was fine with me, but she'd have to take it up with you before I could answer for sure."

I laughed. "Like I would say no to an adorable face like that. She's too sweet for her own good."

"Her dad's going to be beating the boys off with a bat in about seven or eight years." He had a dreamy look on his face, and I wondered how many children he wanted. Of course, that wasn't exactly first date material, so I figured I'd ask another day.

One bite into my sandwich told me how perfect it was. "Thanks, Edward, this is great."

He smiled at me around his sandwich and took another bite. "You know, Isabella. This isn't as terrible as I thought it would be." When I raised an eyebrow at him, he chuckled before elaborating. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just meant I wasn't sure if we'd be able to pull this off. I thought we would spend all of our time fighting and we wouldn't last a day. But you know what? I think we'll fare just fine for now."

I smiled at him. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

**A/N:** Greenlake, the place they went on their date, is a real place about five or ten minutes from UW. It's gorgeous. My friends took me there on my birthday, and I used to go to a dance studio up there. It's a small-ish lake, but it's still a two hour (at least) walk around it. But on a pretty day, it's so worth it. The only thing I made up was the ice cream. Haha. There aren't any ice cream stands, unfortunately.

Anyway, thanks again to jmeyer for her lovely writing. A link to her story is on our page!

(PS. Girls: how many of you think it's insanely attractive when a guy is good with kids? Aghh. Yummy.)

Much love,

cALLIEfornia BENches


	24. One Step Forward

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N: **Alright, sorry the chapter's late. I had an anxiety attack after having to pull an all-nighter, so I spent most of Tuesday sleeping it off and therefore couldn't write. Agh. Craig's mood reflects mine all of yesterday.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 22:** One Step Forward

**BPOV**

Edward waved behind him at Lila's mom as the two of us headed home for the day. She was a nice woman, and had been very understanding when Lila dragged her over to meet her new best friend Edward. She even got that glassy look in her eye that all women seemed to get when they looked at Edward, even though she mentioned briefly that she was married.

As Edward and I left, I was surprised at how well the day had gone. I was pretty sure this was the longest time we had been in each other's presence and not fought. Granted, there was an obvious effort to stray from the topics we often disagreed about, but it was still more peaceful than I'd have thought possible. I was proud of us.

Even still, it wasn't too romantic. Aside from the almost-kiss earlier, everything had been strictly platonic. I wasn't quite sure exactly what that meant and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. I wasn't sure I would be comfortable with a romantic relationship yet, especially with Edward, but what would be the point of dating someone if there wasn't any romance?

_To appease your fear of one night stands_, a little voice in my head squeaked.

"So, Isabella," Edward started.

"You know, Edward, we _are_ dating now. You should probably call me Bella." I bit my lip. This was something we fought about. Uncharted territory as long as we had been "dating."

He was quiet for a minute before he looked over at me. I couldn't quite decipher the look on his face; it looked like he might have been having an internal battle with himself, and the confusion made it seem as though he couldn't decide which side to listen to. If I had any guess at all, he was probably deciding whether he should argue with me or not. My name had always been a standoff between the two of us. He was stubborn about Isabella, I was stubborn about Bella. It had gotten to the point where I think we had both just given up on each other.

Edward opened his mouth and then shut it again. "Bella," he tried, as if seeing how it tasted on his tongue. "Bella," he repeated. "Hmm. I don't know. We'll have to see how it goes."

I would have said something, but the tone in his voice told me he was more joking than menacing. However I wasn't exactly sure which one he really meant. Had this been two weeks ago, there would be no doubt in my mind that he would have meant it to start a fight. But ever since the night we slept together, things had changed. Completely. We were no longer the same two people we were before. The dynamic between the two of us had taken a complete one-eighty, and I wasn't sure if there was any way we'd ever go back to where we had been before.

And I wasn't exactly sure how I felt about that. It kind of depended on how things went from now on.

I bit my lip and looked away from him, resuming the walk that we had somehow stopped when I asked him the question. A second later, I heard his footsteps quickly catching up to mine. I decided against saying anything else to him, for fear that I'd get angry and start a fight; a fight was the last thing I wanted, especially today. It had been too nice all day.

When he caught up to me, he grabbed my hand to slow me down. I hadn't realized I had been walking so fast until I matched his pace. When he didn't let go of my hand, I got nervous. I didn't know whether it was a bad nervous or a good nervous, but it made my stomach turn over within itself.

His hand squeezed mine once and looked cautiously at me from the corner of his eye, judging to see if this was okay. I didn't squeeze back, not sure if I wanted him to let go or keep his large hand wrapped loosely around mine. It was tight enough that he kept a grip on me, but loose enough so I could pull away without it being awkward if I wanted.

But I didn't pull away, and neither did he.

It was interesting, taking this step. It didn't feel completely romantic, but it wasn't platonic, either. And here we were again, walking that fine line between couple and non-couple. But I still felt bad about turning away from that almost-kiss earlier, so I let it happen. Maybe I just needed to stop expecting something horrific to happen every time we moved past acquaintances.

The sky wasn't going to fall, an asteroid wasn't going to hit the earth, the ground wasn't going to shatter beneath me. I could let this happen without interfering. I _should_ let this happen without interfering.

The walk back to the car was silent, as was the ride back to the apartment complex. He didn't say anything until the elevator opened to our floor.

"Should I walk you to your door?" he asked as we stepped out into the hallway, not holding hands. Our hands hadn't even brushed since we got into the car.

I laughed lightly. "I don't know, it's so far out of your way."

"I think I can manage."

We passed his door and made our way to mine. When we got there, neither of us were really sure how to act. Technically, it had been a date. But it was the first date. So did that mean a kiss or not? It was obvious that we were both debating on what to do next. I let some air escape from through my lips before I took one of my lips in between my teeth.

"So…," I trailed off.

"So," he repeated.

I made a move to open the door and he didn't stop me. "I guess I'll just see you later then?" I asked as I turned the key in the lock and opened the door. I think I was waiting for him to decide whether we were going to go there or not. Honestly, I didn't feel ready. But at the same time, I had already slept with the man, so why would a kiss be such a big deal?

His eyes closed briefly, and when he opened them again he had a smile on his face. "Yeah," he said. "I'll see you later."

I think it was disappointment that settled across my stomach, but I wasn't sure. "Bye," I said softly as I stepped into my doorway, giving him one last chance for… something. But he just stuck his hands in his pockets and waited for me to disappear behind my door.

When I closed the door, I leaned my head against it and closed my eyes.

But before I could define what, exactly, I was feeling, I was interrupted by a booming voice from behind me.

"Well Hell's Bells."

I jumped about three feet in the air and spun around, coming face to face with none other than Jacob Black himself. "Jacob!" I scolded. "Don't do that again, you nearly scared me to death. Who gave you a key to my apartment, anyway? It sure as hell wasn't me, and the only other person that has a key to my room is…," I drifted off as I realized exactly who let him in, "Craig," I finished. "Damn it, I never should have had him collect my mail and housesit that one time."

Jake just smiled. "Sorry, sugarplum. But I wouldn't have had to break in if you had just _called_ me sometime during the last _year_." He sighed dramatically.

"Jake, we spoke like a week ago."

"Yes, muffin," he said as he made his way towards my kitchen and started raiding my pantry. "But you neglected to even give me a _text_ when you slept with lover boy—pun intended—next door. This is big news, Isabella Marie! As your bestest friend in the whole wide world, it is my duty to find out from you firsthand, not from Rosalie who heard from Alice who heard from you. Not. Okay," he scolded as he pulled a blueberry muffin from its huge Costco-sized box and took a bite. He made a face before throwing the muffin into the garbage. "By the way, your muffins are stale."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I propped myself up so I was sitting on the counter, watching as he helped himself to the food in my refrigerator. "What would you like to know, Jake? There aren't that many details. We got drunk, we kissed, we fucked, end of story. I don't even remember any of it. I just remember drinking a hell of a lot, and then waking up naked in his bed."

Jake wiggled his eyebrows. "What, you can't provide a guy with some of the nasties? I haven't gotten any action in what feels like years. At least give me some material to work with. That Edward is one nice piece of man meat." Jacob licked his lips before laughing.

"What happened to Ringo?" I asked.

"Wants to take things slow," Jacob said with a roll of his eyes. "Details?"

"I would, Jacob. But I honestly don't remember _anything_." I sighed and rested my elbow on my knee and my chin in my hand.

"Well what happened after? Edward of all people knows your aversion to one night stands. I can't imagine that he'd just let it go without at the very least a serious talk. He spent like two weeks after prom trying to be nice and make it up to you."

"Yeah," I said, reminiscing. "He made it up to me by doing my chem final for me, remember? Because I fell asleep in the middle of it. But then he went straight back to being nasty Edward." I hoped I had dodged the bullet. I didn't like lying to Jacob, but if I could get out of telling the truth, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Lord knows you two have been at each other's necks as long as I can remember. But you aren't getting out of my question." Damn. "What happened?"

I bit my lip and avoided eye contact with him by hopping down from the counter and walking towards the desk that had my writing laptop. "He didn't remember anything," I replied, hoping my lie wasn't too obvious. "I was gone before he woke up and he didn't seem to notice that it was me. I don't know, I haven't really seen him." I sat down at the chair in front of the computer and turned to Jacob, who had taken a seat on my couch.

His lips were pursed, as if he was judging whether he should or shouldn't say something. Then, as if choosing his words carefully, he spoke slowly. "Who were you with when you came home today?" he asked.

_Shit. Of _course _he would have seen that._ "Uhm…"

But thankfully, someone knocked at my door, saving me from answering. I glanced once from the door to Jacob. "I should get that," I murmured, getting up and quickly leaving the room.

When I pulled open the front door, Craig was standing there. He looked thoroughly confused and kind of like he was about to faint. "Craig?" I asked, ducking my head to meet his wandering eyes. "Craig? Hellooo?" His eyes met mine, and I could immediately see that they were bloodshot. "Jesus, Craig, when was the last time you slept?" His clothes were wrinkled and half untucked from his pants, which were sagging all-too low on his waist. They weren't even jeans, they were work pants.

His brows furrowed and he held his fingers up in front of his face, squinting as he tried to count them. About ten seconds later, he gave up and shrugged. "A day or two. Somewhere between twenty-four and forty-eight hours. I think. Maybe I slept. Maybe I didn't. Who really knows anymore?" He stumbled and crashed into my doorjamb.

"Why haven't you been sleeping?"

"Dunno," he mumbled. "Maybe because I wasn't tired. Maybe it was because I had work to do. Who really knows anything anymore?" he repeated himself. "It's so weird going so long without sleep," he said. "I feel drunk, but I haven't drank anything. Well, nothing but water. Good ol' dihydrogen monoxide."

Despite being vaguely impressed that he could remember the scientific name for water, the man looked unhealthy. "Craig," I said sternly. "You need sleep. Why are you here?"

"Mmm," he said. "I was wondering. Could you tell me, possibly, where my apartment is? It seems I've lost my way."

What? "Craig, you've 'lost your way' but you found my apartment?"

He let out a ridiculously large yawn. "Mmm. Seems that way, doesn't it?"

I pointed to the apartment directly across from mine. "That one, Craig." He nodded before he turned to walk to his apartment. Except he started walking back down towards the end of the hall that was opposite from the elevators. So, either way, he was walking the wrong way. "Hey," I called after him. He swung his head in my direction. "Craig, it's right there." I walked forward and tapped on his door. "Go get sleep. I don't want to see you until you're normal, okay?"

Craig nodded as he walked into his apartment, throwing the door shut behind him.

When I went back into the living room, Jake was reading over what I had done already with my book. If it had been anyone else, even Alice or Rosalie, I would have thrown a fit. But it was Jacob. I knew he would end up reading it anyway, so what was the big deal with him reading it now? Yeah, it wasn't done, but it wasn't like he was critiquing it quite yet.

"You need more character development with Jack," he said. "I mean, I know they don't find out that he's dead until the end, but still. You might want to elaborate a little more."

Or maybe he was critiquing.

"I can't. If I elaborate much more, they'll know he's dead. And what fun is that? Now that's not fun at all," I replied, sitting down in the spot Jake had been sitting in earlier. "Hey, was Craig decent when you went to go get my key? He hasn't slept in like two days. I don't know if I should be worried about him or not."

Jake tore his eyes from my laptop screen and looked over to me. "Yeah, he was pretty fucked up. But that doesn't mean you should worry. It's his fault he stayed up for a few hours straight. As soon as he gets some sleep, he'll be fine. Just let him sleep it off." He turned back to the screen and kept reading. "When do you think you'll be done with this? Edward told me the other day that he'd probably be done within the week. He was just doing some last minute touch ups."

I grunted. "Are you even allowed to tell me how the competition's doing? Is that some sort of tactic to tell me to get on the road?" I smiled at him, letting him know I was kidding.

"Hey, babe, whatever floats your boat. Where's the sex scene?" he asked, scrolling through my document.

I chuckled. "Chapter 14 is the first one. There's pretty much one every three or so chapters after that. Read them at your own leisure. By the way, I'll probably be done by next week. I'm just about to write the climax—" Jacob interrupted me with an all-too feminine giggle at the word 'climax', "—and you know how I get when I start to write that. I'll be done with it in four days, maximum. Then I'll edit it some and send it off to you."

"Good," he said. He focused intensely on my story for a few minutes, reading through a sex scene, I'm sure, before lifting his head and looking over to me. "Oh, and by the way, don't think you're getting out of that earlier question so easily. If you think I've given up, you're sorely mistaken, Miss Swan. Now who was it that you were with at the door today?"

"Just some guy," I said, probably too quickly. "Met him at the Starbucks around the corner. He was just walking me home and then he was going to go back to his house and never see me again."

Jacob hummed, obviously not believing my story. "That's funny, it sounded _so _much like Edward."

"That's weird," I said. "Nope, definitely wasn't him. Not at all. Sorry." I turned to walk into my bedroom to try and get away from Jacob's piercing eyes that I swear could see right through me, but there was a knock on my door again. "This better not be Craig again," I said, mostly to myself but if Jake heard, so be it. Thankfully, it wasn't Craig when I opened the door. Unfortunately, it was Edward. And he looked a little shaken up. "What happened, Edward?" I asked him.

He shook his head vehemently. "No, I just wanted to come over and apologize for my behavior earlier." I opened my mouth to protest—he had been wonderful today—but he wouldn't let me say anything. "I'm sorry for being an asshole," he said. "I should have just fucking kissed you like a man. But no, I pussied out because I'm a stupid idiot that can't read a girls' body language for shit. So please forgive me, Bella." I raised my eyebrows at the mention of my nickname. I was pretty sure this had been the first time he ever used it.

"It's fine, Edward."

"No, it's not fine. You were standing there, obviously waiting for something to happen. _Anything_. But there's so much shit going on in my mind and I'm really confused and I wasn't sure if you wanted it or not and so I took the easy road and just pretended it would be safer if I just didn't do anything at all instead of actually take a step out of the box and try something that might make you happy." He was babbling, but I didn't mind. He was kind of cute when he was nervous, a trait I had never noticed before.

He kept talking, but out of the corner of my eye I noticed Jacob creep into the entryway and hide behind the open door, listening to the man at my doorstep confess his mistake from earlier.

"So I went home and battled with myself for an hour or so, and I finally came up with a solution. A half-way point, if you will. Okay?"

"Okay?" I asked, confused as to what was about to happen.

So quickly that I was shocked when it happened, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss lightly to my cheek. There was something about the texture of his lips that brought back some sort of vague memory that seemed like it was buried underneath mountains and mountains of other memories. It was foggy and dark, but it was still there.

And it wasn't bad. It wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was something I could get used to.

But as quickly as it happened, it was over and he was pulling away. The look on his face was a combination of nervousness and hopefulness. Hoping he hadn't just overstepped his boundaries, nervous that he had. But when my lips twitched into a smile, so did his, and he knew everything was going to be okay.

A quick glance at Jacob, who was still hiding behind my door, told me that he was just about as shocked as I was. His mouth was so wide I was sure he could probably catch a few flies with it, and his eyes were nearly expressionless.

Edward, oblivious to Jacob's presence, let out a big sigh of relief. "Okay," he said. "That's good."

I nodded, diverting my attention from Jacob to Edward. "Yeah."

Edward opened his mouth to say something else, but suddenly there was a hand on my back, pushing me forward so I was flush with Edward's chest. And my lips… well they accidentally crashed into Edward's. Could I have avoided it? Probably. Did I? No. And I didn't know why. But suddenly, I was kissing Edward Masen.

It wasn't the passionate, romantic kiss that I wrote about in my books. He didn't dramatically dip me backwards. My foot didn't pop into the air. In fact, if anything, it was a little bit clumsy. Our lips didn't line up perfectly the first time, so I was kind of kissing the side of his mouth. He must have been a little taken aback, because he didn't kiss me back at first. And that sent a small wave of rejection through me. Maybe he didn't want this. Maybe he was just trying to be nice and trying to appease me.

Or maybe I was paranoid and starting to sound like Craig with all the 'maybe's.

I drew back, embarrassed and angry at Jacob for forcing me into something we weren't ready for. But my face hadn't pulled away an entire inch when he pressed his lips to mine again. It was chaste, but it was something. And he was actually responding this time, as was I. There were no open mouths, no tongues. Just lips.

And then it was over.

And I found myself grinning and blushing like an idiot as I took a step away from him. I was a little surprised to see that his expression mirrored my own.

"Well," he said, clearing his throat, "I, uh, better go. I'll talk to you later?"

I nodded, unable to say anything, as he walked back to his room, looking only once back over his shoulder at me. But once he disappeared inside of his room for good, my door was slammed shut by an annoyingly bulky gay man.

"Oh. My. God," he said. "You're dating Edward Masen."

"Please don't tell anyone," I begged. "We're keeping it a secret, and I really don't want anyone else knowing. We're planning on breaking up next week, but we're only doing this to make me feel better about the sex, alright? It won't last long, but I still don't really want anyone knowing. Is there any way you're going to be able to keep quiet about this, Jacob? Or am I going to have to bribe you with something? Because we really can't afford for this to get out. Could you imagine the hell we'd get if the family found out? Please, Jacob, I'm begging you."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "One condition," he said.

"Name it."

"You tell me _everything_ about what happens as it happens. I want all the nitty-gritty details. Every kiss, every fight, every passionate love-making. Alright?"

I sighed, but relented. "Deal."

* * *

**A/N: **How about this:** 585 reviews will get you an update this Saturday, 600 will get you one on Saturday **_**and**_** Sunday.** :) How'd you like them apples? Oh, and to all of those of you who asked me two chapters ago to send you the link to that Robsten FF, I haven't forgotten you. I'll send it soon, but I need a little bit of time, because it takes a while and unfortunately I haven't had the time. (That's why I also haven't replied to reviews in like three or four chapters.)

Also, I know it seems like their relationship is moving really fast, but you can't forget that even though they hated each other their entire lives, that drunken night that they spent together changed _everything_. They don't know how to act around each other, and that's why everything's so new. They're experimenting with new feelings, and so far the results haven't been terrible.

Alright, see you Saturday (hopefully?!)

cALLIEfornia BENches


	25. Chemistry

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** HOLY SHIT! You guys. You never cease to amaze me, not in the slightest. Have I ever mentioned how much I love you? Over 60 reviews in 13 hours? You guys are the best in the world. Honestly, I was thinking that we _might_ get the update Saturday, but the update on Sunday was pretty much out of the question. And you guys got the update on Saturday before I even got home from school. I love you, I love you, I love you.

In other news, it's like ninety degrees in Seattle today. Needless to say, I'm writing to you from the Starbucks near my house. If my skin didn't repel the sun, I'd probably go to the park. But for now, under the big green umbrella is amazing enough for me. :D I don't know what those of you with sunny weather do with yourselves all the time. Man, I'd _live_ outside. Anyway, here's the chapter.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 23: **Chemistry

_6 years ago_

Forty-eight hours.

Forty-freaking-eight hours since Bella had last slept.

_Fucking finals_, she thought tiredly. Chemistry was her last final of not only the year, but of high school in general. And unfortunately, her grade was riding on it. At that time, her grade was an A-. If she did well on the test, she'd get a low A. If she didn't, she'd get a high B+. And she couldn't deal with that. Especially not now. Her scholarship to UW was riding on her maintaining a 3.9 GPA.

Bella's eyes drifted shut and her body slumped forward. _No_, she thought as she shook her head and pried her eyes open. She couldn't sleep now. Only two more hours, and she could go home and sleep for days if she wanted to. Senior finals would be done, and the only thing left would be graduation. And then she'd be done with high school and on to college.

She smiled when she thought about college. It had been something she had been looking forward to since practically freshman year. She'd only be a few hours from home over at the University of Washington. When she got her letter of acceptance back in January, she wanted to run a marathon—go Huskies—until she found out that not only had Edward Masen been accepted as well, but he was going to go there.

And she had been hoping to get away from him. But, of _course_, fate didn't agree with her. So she had nothing left to do but cross her fingers and hope that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have any classes with him.

Bella's eyes fluttered shut again, but a loud, obnoxious giggling from the front corner of the room kept her from falling into a deep sleep.

Edward Masen—who else—entered with his posse. The last few months, Edward seemed to have tamed himself with the ladies. He wasn't spending so much of his time out on dates, instead focusing on his studies. It occurred to him that, even though he had made it into college, those colleges could easily rescind his acceptance if they felt it necessary. Edward knew it was time to suck it up and come to terms with the fact that he couldn't screw around anymore.

Had it been two months before, he would have basked in the attention of the girls. But now… now, he just wanted to go and get some last minute studying in before the final started. He felt prepared, but you could never study too much with chemistry.

Edward pried Lauren's touchy-feely hands off him and went to sit down in his seat next to Isabella. But one look at her told him that she had had a rough night's sleep. There was no doubt about the fact that she had over studied, and Edward was a little worried for her.

"You look like shit," he said as he tossed his small backpack onto the floor and dug out his Number 2 pencil and eraser.

She glanced at him from the corner of her droopy eyes. "I know," she said. Her voice sounded defeated, and Edward wondered why she had spent so much time studying. It wasn't like she was stupid by any means. In fact, she was on the smarter side of the class. So what was so important that she needed to spend a dangerous amount of time studying.

"No," Edward insisted. "You _really_ look like shit."

Her eyes dropped closed and her head dropped into her folded arms on the desk. She looked and felt utterly defeated. She had no idea how she was going to take this test when she was feeling like this. The nervous butterflies in her stomach kicked up a notch when she realized that staying up all night to study may, in fact, hinder her score on the test.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered sarcastically, her voice muffled from beneath her sweatshirt.

A second later, she seemed to have forgotten the conversation and her breathing evened out into slow, deep breaths. Edward knew she had fallen asleep, but he didn't find it necessary to wake her. She deserved at least a few minutes of slumber before the test. She'd need every second possible. He'd wake her up when the teacher started passing out the test.

Ever since prom, Edward felt a terrible amount of sympathy for Isabella. He felt like the lowest scum on the earth when he found out how much his words must have hurt her. Ever since, he had been looking for a way out, for a way to make it up to her. At the same time, he didn't want to make it completely obvious. He was uncomfortable being nice to her, as he knew she would be, too. But he had to find a subtle way to pay her back.

"Alright, class," Mr. Ko, our chemistry teacher, said. He punctuated his statement by dropping the stack of papers on their side so they'd line up. "Looks like it's about time to get started."

Everyone admired Mr. Ko. He knew what he was talking about better than he knew the back of his hand. And for that, the students respected him. He was getting up there in age, but he was in no way senile. It seemed as though he knew everything about everything. He was like that old man that you could talk with for hours, simply because he was so smart. Teachers like that were rare, and the students in the class knew they were lucky to have him.

"You may start as soon as you have your test," he said as he started to pass out the test.

Edward nudged Bella lightly. "Isabella, he's starting to pass out the test."

She inhaled sharply as she bolted upright, Edward's nudge obviously having scared her slightly from her sleep. "Thanks," she breathed when she realized that no one was attacking her.

Mr. Ko put a test down in front of her, and then a test in front of Edward. The test was all multiple choice, as all finals were, so that made it easy. Bella looked down at the first question, doing her best to defy her eyelids.

_What is the correct structure for 2,2,3-trimethyl-5-propylnonane?_

Bella glanced over the answers as she processed her organic chemistry in her head. This one was relatively easy; it was just an alkane. The branches weren't throwing her off. She chose C, confident with her answer, and moved onto the next question.

_What is the limiting reagent of the following equation?_

Shit. Limiting reagents were her weakness. She glanced over the problem, attempted some frivolous calculations on her spare paper, knowing they were wrong, and coming out with an answer that wasn't even a choice of the four options on the sheet. Bella sighed, frustrated, and dropped her head into her hands. Maybe she just needed a few minutes to logically think it over.

Edward watched from the corner of his eye as Bella quickly fell asleep on her desk. He wasn't sure whether to wake her up or let her sleep. Maybe this was his chance to do something nice for her. He glanced up at the teacher to see where he was, and saw that he was walking into the smaller, attached room that held all of the chemicals.

Edward was probably going to regret doing this, but it was worth a shot anyway.

* * *

­­_Bella was in her room by herself. Her parents had gone out for the day to Pike Place, and maybe take a ferry up to Bainbridge Islands or maybe Poulsbo. They wouldn't be back until late that night, and she had the house to herself. She had debated on going out with Alice or having some friends over, but she didn't feel like leaving the house. So she had decided to stay in and watch a scary movie or two. Alice hadn't forced her to go anywhere, either, which was a nice change. _

_So when a knock sounded on her door, she was confused. She wasn't expecting anyone tonight. She padded to the door, her bare feet smacking against the hardwood floors, and opened the door._

_Surprise didn't even begin to explain it when it was none other than Edward Masen standing at her door with a crooked grin on his face. He was in a black t-shirt and plain jeans, but they had darkened somewhat from the rain._

"_What are you doing here?" Bella asked him._

_Without an invitation, he stepped into the house and started walking upstairs, she assumed to her room. The only other thing up there was her parents' bedroom and the bathroom, and she couldn't imagine why he'd want to go in there. Then again, she couldn't imagine why he'd just show up at her house, either. The whole thing was weird._

_She followed him and, sure enough, he was standing in her room, looking down at her bed. Upon her arrival, he turned around and looked at her._

"_Bella," was all he said._

_She moved forward, closer to him. "Edward," she replied._

_As soon as she was close enough, he reached out and pulled her forward until their bodies were flush together. No words were said, but it was understood exactly what was going to happen. So it didn't surprise her when his gaze flickered from her face to her lips a second before he moved his face to their foreheads and noses were touching. She didn't seem to care that his wet clothes were seeping onto hers. She didn't care that drops of water from his hair were now dripping down her face._

_He stayed there for a minute, letting them absorb the moment. It was extremely intimate, and she couldn't get enough. In fact, she was the one who made the first move and adjusted her head so their lips were pressed together. It was gentle at first: chaste, soft kisses with lips shut and simply pressed against the others'._

_When he opened his mouth a fractional amount, so did she. Tongues stayed properly in their own mouths._

_Her fingers untangled themselves from his and wound around his neck, fingering the tufts of hair at the base of his neck. He let out a groan, vibrating both of their mouths together in the slightest way. His arms moved so they were loosely draped around her waist and he squeezed, bringing her ever closer to him. She couldn't get over the feeling that it was _right_. That she belonged there. It was weird, feeling this way and doing these things with the very bane of her existence. She couldn't wait to see where this would go._

_He took a step backward, bringing them closer to her bed. She stepped into the spot where his foot had been, and she couldn't help but feel like they were in some sort of dance. Which they were, technically. It was a dance to see how far they could push each other until one of them snapped; it was how it usually was, except this time it was in a good way. They weren't battling to see who was better, they were battling to see if they could be better together._

_The rain was pounding hard against her roof; it was the only sound that they could hear, aside from their little gasps of excitement, pleasure, or surprise._

_Edward backed up again until the backs of his knees aligned with the edge of the bed. From there, he leaned down and pulled her on top of him, never once detaching their lips. His tongue drew a line lightly on her bottom lip and she moaned. Upon seeing that she liked that, he did it again. Bella liked the fact that they were learning so much about each other without actually speaking. She had never taken the time out before to learn _anything _about him, let alone learning that he loved his scalp to be lightly scratched in the heat of the moment._

_Edward flipped her over on the bed so his body was pressed tightly to hers. She could feel every inch of him—_every inch_—lying above her. There was no doubt about the fact that he was aroused by this. But she couldn't blame him. She was particularly aroused herself._

_He trailed his mouth down to her neck, nibbling on a sweet spot. How in the world he knew about that spot, the spot that made her melt, she had no idea. But at the moment, she couldn't get herself to care. She couldn't even care that she would most likely have a huge hickey there in the morning. All she cared about was that he was there, lightly grinding his hips into hers and nibbling that spot on her neck. At this rate, it wouldn't be long until she lost it._

"_Oh, Edward," she moaned._

_He hummed against her neck and it sent a shiver through her body._

_Wanting more of him, she unlocked her hands from around his neck and trailed them down to the hem of his shirt, running her fingers lightly underneath it. She traveled up to his chest, her nails scraping over his nipples as she did so. He groaned loudly and with a breathy "Bella," he nuzzled his face into her neck, only able to press light kisses to it. If she kept it up, it wouldn't be long until _he _lost it. And how embarrassing would that be._

_His shirt was riding up with her hands, so he pulled away for a minute to finish pulling it over his head. He tossed it somewhere and they heard it land with a soft _plunk _on the carpet._

_She allowed him to do the same to her, tearing off her bra in the process. His eyes widened at the sight and he stared for a good minute._

"_Wow," he said._

_Bella started to get uncomfortable and drew her arms up and over herself. She couldn't tell if the 'wow' was good or bad. Was he just going to leave now and leave her lying there, vulnerable?_

"_No," he said, as if answering her thoughts. "No, don't cover yourself. You're far too beautiful to be covered." He pried her arms away from her chest and kissed her hands one at a time before setting them behind his neck._

_She moaned at his words and pulled him back to her, crashing their lips together. She flipped him over onto his back and straddled his waist, kissing down his chest until he was writhing beneath her. He was painfully hard, and he was sure she knew it. His jeans were still wet and very clingy. She _had _to know what she was doing to him._

_Bella reached down between her legs and unbuttoned his pants, pulling the zipper down as carefully as possible. Unfortunately for Edward, carefully meant slowly. And he wasn't sure exactly how much more of her teasing that he would be able to take. His hips jerked up, encouraging her to go faster. She smiled up at him before she pulled his jeans all the way down, smiling at the sight of his bright yellow boxers with dozens of black smiley faces. No doubt he was happy today._

_She looked up to him for confirmation that it would be okay if she pulled his boxers down. He nodded enthusiastically and she couldn't help but giggle. The giggle, however, was cut short with one look at him. The man was very well endowed._

"_You're so big. I don't think it'll fit," she said, a little disappointment in her voice._

_A smile lit up his face. "Don't boost my ego, love. It doesn't need to be any bigger than it already is."_

_She smiled before licking her hand and wrapping it around the base, squeezing and bringing it to the top. As she reached the head, a few drops of precum leaked out the top. She dipped her head down to take it into her mouth, but he stopped her._

"_I'm sorry," he said. Her face fell. What was he apologizing for? For letting her get this far? For taking advantage of her? "You're going to have to stop or tonight won't be that eventful."_

_She opened her mouth to make a comment, but it caught in her throat when he turned her over so she was on her back. A devilish grin formed on his face. Before she knew it, her sweatpants and underwear were off and lying in the pile of clothes they had accumulated and he was rolling on a condom._

"_Are you sure?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes. "We don't have to do this."_

"_Edward, I want you," she said as she ran a hand through his hair. His eyes closed and she swore that if he could have, he would have purred._

_He kissed her as he started to push into her slowly. It was hard for him to maintain his control, but he knew he had to. She was fragile, and he wouldn't be the one to break her._

_Her face contorted slightly in pain as he stretched her, but this time was different than last time with Demetri. It was a good kind of pain, one that she would happily endure to get to the pleasure of him inside of her. And not ten seconds after he had fully pushed himself into her, she moved her hips experimentally. She felt nothing but pleasure._

_Edward took this as a sign to start, so he withdrew lightly before pushing back in. She moaned, and it nearly undid him._

"_You feel so good," she murmured against his lips, her voice heavy with pleasure._

_Edward hummed, not trusting his voice to say anything. He pressed himself inside of her again, a little harder this time. "Is this okay?" he squeaked._

"_Better than okay," she said. "Harder."_

_His eyes rolled back into his head and he moved faster, harder inside of her. She had no idea how amazing this was for him. He had had his fair share of girls, but she was by far the best. The tightest. Even Jessica, who had been a virgin when they started their fling, hadn't been so tight. Bella was astounding in every sense of the word._

_Wanting to give her more, he reached between them and pinched her clit between his two fingers. Bella let out an embarrassingly loud moan and immediately blushed, but Edward couldn't have been happier._

"_Isabella," he said. She lost herself in the throes of passion, but he called her name again, as if he was trying to get her attention. "Isabella. Isabella, it's time to wake up. Isabella."_

"Bella, wake up," a voice whispered into her ear. _What?_ Where was she? And why wasn't she in her room, finishing out this wonderful dream with…

_Oh, god. The test._ She shot straight up and looked around the room. Everyone seemed to be finishing their test and turning it in. She had only done one problem before she fell asleep, and the clock told her she had one minute to finish a fifty question test. Her heart started beating at a hundred miles per hour, and she looked over to the man that had been whispering in her ear before. It was Edward.

He looked worried and slightly creeped out, but he slid a piece of paper over to her. It was her test. And it was finished.

She hurriedly flipped through the pages to see what the answers were. They looked right from her standings. She flipped her head to look over at Edward, but wasn't sure she'd be able to meet his eyes after the dream.

"I don't know what you were dreaming about, but it sure sounded good," he said. He had heard her mumble a few things incoherently at first, but as time went on he heard moans and then his name once. He wondered if she had been having a dream about him.

Bella still looked shocked, trying to take everything in. The bell rang, and Edward got up to leave.

"Thank you," she whispered. He nodded and went on out the door.

Edward had done something nice. Edward had done something nice… for _her._ And what had she done? She had to go and have a sex dream about him. She shuddered at the thought, only this time it wasn't a good shudder. Sex with _Edward_? No, thanks, she thought as she got up and turned her test in, thankful that senior year was finally over.

Now she could get on with her real life. No more dreams.

* * *

**A/N: **Alright, here's the deal. Between today's chapter and tomorrow's chapter, if you guys can get us up to **745 reviews (that's an average of roughly 70 reviews per chapter, so about 675 for this one)**, I'll post a double chapter on Tuesday. :) Since I'm posting early this morning, you have all of today and all of tomorrow before I post again on Sunday night.

**PLEASE READ.** As much as I love you guys to review and tell me your thoughts, it's a little bit irritating when reviews start demanding things of me. "Too slow, speed it up." "More Edward and Bella." "Update sooner." "Make your chapters longer." I love you guys with all my heart, but I'm writing for _me_. I'm writing because it's something I enjoy. I don't enjoy being ordered around. The more ordering around that I get, the less I want to update and the less I want to write.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't want criticism. That's what makes a story improve. However, there are a lot nicer ways to say it than that. Let's take "More Edward and Bella" for example. You could easily say "In the future, I'd love to see a little bit more interaction between Bella and Edward." It's as easy as that.

I want to emphasize this because I want to keep writing: Please, if you don't like the way I write, please read another story. There are plenty of good ones out there that I'm sure fit your specifications. I'd be happy to recommend some. But keep in mind, it's _you_ that's choosing to read my story. And that's just what it is: _MY_ story. I'm not angry, just a little irritated.

Just so you know, that's only for some of you guys. About eighty percent of you are beyond amazing, and I don't know what I'd do without you. Even those of you who are included in that little twenty percent, I love you, too. I just wish you'd respect my writing a little bit more, you know?

Thanks for taking the time to read that. It means a lot to me. :)

cALLIEfornia BENches


	26. Pool Party

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Good news and bad news. I'll give you the bad news first, because if I gave you the good news first it wouldn't make sense. The bad news is, we're about half way done, which means we've got roughly 20 more chapters to go. The good news is, that means all the Edward and Bella action is coming up soon! :) Also, from here on out there will be small time jumps between each chapter (in the plot, I mean, not the update dates.)

AHHHHH Robert Pattinson was so cute in the MTV awards tonight. I just wanted to kiss him. :) And the TRAILER?!?! I've definitely had it on loop on my computer. Like… all night. Haha. Yumm, Edward.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 24: **Pool Party

**EPOV**

It had been a little over a week since Bella and I had gone on our first date. Since then, neither of us had free time at the same time. We were both busy people, and I understood that, but it was getting ridiculous; our entire lives we had been pushed together when we didn't want to be, and now that we might—or at least I kind of did—want to spend time together, we can't. Leave it to fate to keep us apart right _now_.

The date had been pretty amazing, and it went better than I thought. Sure, there were a few awkward moments like the time I almost lost my head and nearly kissed her, but she seemed fine after that. And then when I really did kiss her, it made my entire day. I mean, I knew she was a good kisser—I remembered our drunken night well enough to remember that—but it was kind of nice to feel it when she wasn't drunk. And even though it was relatively quick and chaste, it felt right for a first kiss, especially for one between two people who hated each other less than a week prior.

Now, as I lie in my bed, waiting for the energy to get up and start moving, I was pretty pleased with the way our relationship had been going. Things had drastically changed since that night we slept together. I don't think we would have ever been able to get along for longer than a few minutes if it hadn't been for that night.

My phone rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. I slapped my nightstand to feel around for it, too lazy to get up. When my hand finally fell upon my phone, I picked it up and pressed it to my ear without looking at the caller ID.

"'Lo?" I murmured, my voice still thick with sleep, even though I'd been awake for upwards of an hour.

"Hey!" Rosalie's voice shrilled in my ear.

I was confused. Rosalie was the last person to ever have a shrill voice. I opened my eyes and sat up on my elbows. "Rosalie? What's wrong?" She laughed, and I heard her muffled voice replay to Emmett what I had just said. I didn't get it. What was funny about me asking what was wrong? "Rosalie," I stated firmly, trying to get her attention.

"Sorry, Edward."

"Are you going to tell me what's got you all in a tizzy?" I asked, starting to get slightly irritated.

She laughed again. "Yes, yes, of course." She paused dramatically, trying to up the suspense. But it wasn't working. It was only irritating me further. Even still, I didn't say anything. She was obviously excited about something, and who was I to take that from her? "Edward," she started. "Emmett and I… we're pregnant!" She squealed, in a very Un-Rosalie-like fashion.

My eyes popped open, and I couldn't help but smile. She had been looking forward to this for so long. I was happy that she was happy. "Congratulations, Rosalie! When did you find out?"

"I took a pregnancy test a few days ago, but we just officially confirmed it at our doctor's appointment. We're on our way home now and I was too excited to wait until later to tell everyone, so I'm calling them now."

I could practically hear the smile on her voice, and I knew she was probably more excited than she had ever been in her life. As long as I had known Rosalie, she hadn't ever wanted to do anything more with her life than be a wife and a mother. I knew her parents didn't approve of her being a stay home mom, so she went to college and got a degree in psychology, but it wasn't what she really wanted to do with her life. More than anything, she wanted to be a mom. And now she finally would be.

"Hey, can you put Emmett on for a minute?" I asked her.

I heard the phone be passed between the two of them and Emmett's low voice came through the line. "Hey, little brother."

"Hey there, daddy-to-be. Excited?"

"Unbelievably," he said. I could imagine him looking over to Rosalie and giving her a massive grin. The two of them would make great parents, and it was about time for them to finally have something go their way. They deserved it. "Listen, Rosy and I are going to have a little get-together tonight to celebrate. It'll be at our house. It's going to be a pool party, so bring your suit. Come over around six or so and we'll have a barbeque and all that jazz."

"I'll definitely be there," I said. "Can't wait. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Nah, we got it," Emmett replied.

"Alright. Well tell Rosalie I say 'Congratulations' again, and I'll see you guys tonight. Who else is going to be there?" I asked, wondering vaguely if Isabella—er, Bella—would be there. I knew we still hadn't told the family yet, so if she was that might be weird. Then again, she was practically family so it would be weird if she _wasn't_ there, too.

Emmett paused for a moment, thinking it over. "You and Alice for sure; Esme and Carlisle are going to leave to drive over in a few hours and they said they'd be bringing Renee and Charlie; we haven't called Bella yet, but we're going to ask her, too, of course, same with Jacob; and then Rosalie wanted to ask Angela and Ben as well, since we haven't heard from them in a while."

Of course Isabella would be there. I was stupid to think otherwise. "Sounds good," I said. "Later, Em."

"Bye."

I tossed my phone back onto my nightstand and watched as it slid over the top and off the other side, landing on the ground with a _plunk_. Ignoring the fact that it was now laying on the floor, I got up and made myself some coffee while my laptop started up. Maybe I could get some writing done, and then I'd go over and see if Is—Bella wanted to carpool over there. Sure, it might be a little suspicious, but we were conserving gas. Or at least that's what I was going to be telling myself.

So that's how I found myself in front of Bella's door an hour later, knocking twice. I figured by now Rosalie and Emmett had gotten around to calling her even if they had called Angela and Ben first, which wasn't likely.

She answered the door in a tiny pair of black spandex shorts that I recognized from when she had attempted to play intramural volleyball in high school, and a UW sweatshirt that I recognized as Emmett's. She was practically swimming in it. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she had her thick rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She looked… really good. She looked like she had been writing.

"Hi," she said cheerfully, leaning against the doorjamb and folding her sweatshirt-clad arms over her chest. "What's up?"

I smiled at her. "Hey, are you going to Rosalie's and Emmett's tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Are you?"

I nodded my head once. "Yeah. Do you want to carpool or something?" Before she could answer, I continued. "I know we haven't told anyone we're dating and it might be a little suspicious, us showing up together and all, but I don't see why we shouldn't. I mean, we live in the same apartment building and we're going to the same place, so why not, you know?" I bit my lip. I don't know why I was so nervous. Even though we hadn't spent time together since our date the week before, that didn't mean we hadn't seen each other. She lived next door, for god's sake. Even still. Our relationship made me nervous.

Bella giggled. "Of course, Edward. That should be no big deal. We _are_ headed to the same place, so what would be the point in taking separate cars? I'll come over around six thirty?"

"See you then," I said with a smile. I started walking back to my apartment, but stopped and spun on my heel before her door shut all the way. "Oh, and Bella?" She opened the door again and looked at me. "Don't forget to wear your bikini. It's a pool party." Bella blushed and I couldn't help but grin widely.

* * *

At precisely six thirty, my doorbell rang. I grabbed a shirt and threw it over my head, pulling it down my chest as I opened the front door. Bella smiled at me before her gaze wandered south a little, catching the last bit of my stomach that was showing before I covered it with my tee. I raised an eyebrow at her, silently calling her out. She blushed again before ducking by me and into my apartment.

"Wait," I said, catching her arm before she was too far away. I shut the door behind me and brought her closer until she was just below me. I wouldn't chicken out this time. I was going to kiss her, whether she wanted me to or not.

I lowered my face until it was even with hers. Her eyes were looking straight into mine, trying to judge my next move. I closed the distance between our lips and pressed mine chastely against hers. This one wasn't that different from our first one, except we both got a little more into it. She moved her lips lightly, opening her mouth a fraction of an inch. I cupped her cheeks and tilted my head to the side so we fit better together.

Less than thirty seconds later, we broke apart. We were both smiling. "Ready?" she asked, walking over to my couch and running a finger along the back.

She was wearing a white sundress, and I could see her black polka-dot halter top peeking from behind the white material that tied around her neck. I'd never admit it out loud, but I couldn't wait to see her in her bikini. She had a bag tucked under her arm with a towel and the tops of sunscreen bottles poking out the top.

"Just about," I said as I disappeared into my room for a beach towel. When I returned, she offered her bag to me and I put mine in next to hers. I slid on my sandals and smiled at her. "Ready," I said.

We kept a light conversation on the way to Rosalie's and Emmett's: how we spent our weeks, Rosalie being pregnant, how they were going to fare as parents. It was easy conversation, and I was happy to see how far we had progressed the past two weeks. And my own being happy with this surprised me. Not a bad surprise, but a surprise nevertheless.

When we pulled into their house, I was surprised, as always, at its size. My brother earned himself a comfortable living after working at Microsoft for six years. It hadn't taken much time for him to move up the line, and he was now making a six figure salary. Rosalie was working at the local elementary school as a counselor-slash-family case worker. It wasn't a huge provider of money, but Emmett brought in enough to support them both and it was something she loved to do.

Because of this, their house was about ten times bigger than any house needed to be. It had upwards of eight rooms, and I wasn't sure I had ever walked from one side to the other in less than ten minutes. It was complete with ten acres of land and a pool in the backyard. But what Emmett was most proud of was his barbeque.

I was pretty sure his barbeque was worth more than my entire apartment. It was this huge piece of stainless steel that could cook about thirty large burger patties with room to spare. I didn't know all the technical terms, but I knew it was pretty much as nice as they came. He had just bought it a few weeks ago and had just been looking for a place and time to show it off. Thankfully, Rosalie's pregnancy did just that.

"Listen, Bella," I said, halting her before we went into the house. "I think… I think it would be best if we still kept our relationship something of a secret. I'm not saying we should start fighting again tonight, but maybe we shouldn't spend a whole lot of time together tonight." She stared at me for a minute. "Unless," I backtracked, "You want to tell them. In which case, that's fine. I guess I don't mind." I wrung my hands out and balled them into a fist nervously. Honestly, I wasn't ready to say anything to anyone. But if it was what she really wanted, I think I might be able to deal with it.

Her eyes flickered back and forth between mine for a minute before she said anything. "No, it's fine," she said. "I agree, we should keep it quiet." I nodded once.

Bella and I let ourselves in through the side fence and met everyone in the back. Even though we were five minutes early, we were the last ones there. Which was to be expected, knowing everyone that they had invited. Alice was notoriously early, so consequently Jasper was always early, Renee, Charlie, Esme, and Carlisle all drove down together and had planned on arriving before the party, Angela and Ben were too sweet to be late, and Jacob had nothing better to do than to be early.

When they noticed our arrival, Rosalie, and Emmett came over to greet us first. We both congratulated the couple and exchanged hugs.

"Did you guys ride together?" Rosalie asked, her flawless forehead wrinkling in confusion.

I glanced at Bella from the corner of my eye. "Yeah, we did," I responded shortly, trying to get them to change the subject.

It wasn't working. "And you tolerated each other for that long?"

"You'd be surprised at how long you can tolerate someone after seeing them naked and having your wicked way with them," Emmett said, winking at the two of us. I reached out to punch him, but Rosalie beat me to it; he smacked him hard in the back of the head. He grimaced and rubbed the spot she hit. "Ow, baby, that hurt," he whined.

"You should have thought of that _before_ you started making fun of them, hmm? Now shut your mouth and go make us some hot dogs and hamburgers, alright?"

He hung his head and turned sullenly around. His sadness was quickly forgotten, however, as soon as he realized he got to use the grill. He straightened up his shoulders and smiled as he quickened his pace towards his beast of a grill.

"Sorry about him," Rosalie said, noting the serious awkwardness between the two of us. It was still a sensitive topic, even though we were secretly dating because of it. "He's an idiot." She looked apologetic, but at the same time a little curious. I couldn't blame her. It was totally out of character for us to have slept together, no matter what the circumstances.

Bella was the first to recover. She smiled. "Yeah, I know. It's fine. I'm going to go say hi to my parents." She quickly strode off and I watched as she hugged and kissed her parents. I felt bad that we hadn't even been here two minutes and we were already being hounded and made fun of. I hoped Bella didn't mind and would be okay with it. I knew it was something we'd both have to endure for the next few family get-togethers. It was just the way our family was.

I wasn't sure that Charlie, Renee, Carlisle, and Esme knew, though, so I hoped everyone kept their mouths shut. That would be even more awkward.

"You alright?" Rosalie asked, placing a kind hand on my shoulder. She'd be a great mom.

"Fine," I replied. "Can you just tell Emmett to try and tone it down a little, at least in front of Bella? She's a little sensitive about the topic and the last thing she needs is someone poking and prodding her about it. She feels bad enough, and it wasn't her fault."

Rosalie raised an eyebrow, probably wondering why I was defending her, but didn't mention anything about it. "I'll be sure to tell him," she said.

I made my way over to Carlisle and Esme, kissing Esme on the cheek while shaking hands with Carlisle. It was good to see them again. I felt like I only ever saw them for sad reasons or for holidays. Outside of that, my aunt and uncle weren't terrible people to party with. Carlisle wasn't one to drink, but stick Esme and Renee in a room together with some tequila and the party's sure to get wilder.

But as I looked around, I noticed there wasn't any alcohol anywhere. "Where's the booze?" I asked Charlie as I greeted the two of them.

"We're celebrating a pregnancy, Edward," Renee scolded with a laugh. "There isn't going to be any alcohol today."

"Oh," I said lamely. That kind of sucked. I was planning on relying on some alcohol to get me through the night. I wasn't sure how I was going to react now that I had to stay away from Bella. The reasons for doing so used to come so easily, but now I was kind of freaking out about the fact that I couldn't come up with one. For the first time in my life, I was going to have to make up a reason to stay away from Bella Swan. And I didn't think it was going to be easy.

A screech tore me from my thoughts and I snapped my head over to where Jacob was cradling Bella between his arms. She was beating at his chest with her tiny fists, not getting anything accomplished but feeling better for trying. Jacob laughed as he carried her over to the side of the pool and started swaying her toward it. Her screams got louder and she stopped hitting him, instead opting to cling to him for dear life. If she was going in, so was he.

Unfortunately, I don't think Jacob really cared. He was already in a swimsuit. _She_ was the one still in her dress.

A second later, Jacob leapt from the side of the pool and landed with a splash. She popped back up first, her hair soaking wet and her now-see-through dress clinging to her bathing suit. She looked murderous. As soon as Jacob's head broke the surface, she jumped on him and dunked him back under. He was much stronger, though, so he just ended up lifting her up and launching her about seven feet away from him and she landed with another splash. When she came up, she scowled and trudged over to the stairs.

She started walking in my direction to peel off her dress, so I quickly moved and went over to Emmett and Jasper who were standing at the grill.

"Hey, man," Jasper said with a manly nod of the head.

"Hey. How's the cooking?" I asked, leaning over the barbeque to see the food.

But suddenly Emmett stopped and dropped the spatula onto the grill like it was a hot potato. "Edward," he seethed. "I am not… _cooking_. I'm fucking barbequing, damnit. There's a difference. Cooking is for girls. Barbequing is for men." He puffed out his chest and hit it once with his fist.

"So, Edward. How are things with you and Bella ever since the mishap?" Jasper asked quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear.

I glanced over to see where Bella was, and she was just climbing the diving board to jump off. What I saw nearly astounded me. I knew Bella had an amazing body—of course I did, I had seen her naked—but this swimsuit made it look even better. It accentuated her curves in all the right places, bringing attention to her perfect cleavage with the small diamond-like brooch that held the front of the suit together. There were two more on the sides of the bottoms, too. Her hipbones were prominent but not too prominent, and the top of her bikini bottoms reached the perfect middle-point of them.

"Edward?" Jasper asked. "Earth to Edward?"

I shook my head to rid myself of the thoughts that were running through my head at three hundred miles per hour. "Sorry. We're fine. It's definitely awkward and I kind of prefer how it was before," I lied, "But it's livable. Not that we really have a choice, living next door to each other and all. I don't know. Will you excuse me for a moment? I'm going to go see what kind of floating material you've got in the shed."

I slowly walked towards the little wooden shed that kept all the pool controls and toys. As I walked, I caught Bella's eye and hopefully told her to meet me in there. She nodded once, so I assumed she understood what I meant. I needed to get her alone. She shouldn't be walking around in that tiny little suit. It was definitely unlawful to look that good.

The shed was warm thanks to all the controls, but it had already been warm outside. The shed was almost too hot. I leaned against a wall and waited for her to arrive. Two minutes later, she did.

She stepped into the room cautiously, closing the door behind her. No sooner had the door been shut did I have her pinned against the door. She didn't even have time to say a word before I had my lips pressed urgently against hers. This time, there was no chastity about it. I went into it with an open mouth and it wasn't like it took her long to respond.

I lowered my hands to her waist and pressed her closer against the door as her tongue made its way past my lips. I clashed mine with hers and they tangled together for the first time sober. She felt unbelievably amazing against me. It didn't help when she started running her fingers through my scalp. I tried to muffle my loud groan the best that I could, but it wasn't working very well. Her fingers through my hair had always been my weakness, and today was no exception.

I'm sure she could feel her effect on me through my board shorts. It wasn't like it was easy to hide.

She tasted like strawberries and chlorine and _Bella_ and it was hard not to lose my cool. I outlined her lips with my tongue as my hands started inching their way down a little farther until I was cupping her ass. She didn't seem to mind, to I kept them there. She had an amazing ass.

I moved my mouth down her jaw and to the side of her neck, nipping and sucking wherever I pleased. But her hand on my cheek stopped me. When I glanced up at her, she blushed. "Sorry, I don't want any hickeys right before I'm about to go outside half naked in front of our families. Don't you think they'll get suspicious that I just got a whole bunch of hickeys after being in a closet with you for ten minutes?"

A groan escaped my lips as I buried my face into her neck. "You taste good," I mumbled.

Bella was quiet for a moment as her hands traveled soothingly up and down my back. "What did you need, Edward?" she said, her breath airy and light.

If I said 'you' I knew it would be corny, even if I really did mean it. I came up with another excuse instead, though. "You shouldn't be wearing that bikini," I told her. Her chest was sticking out a little, due to my pinning her shoulders to the wall. I watched as her bikini rose and fell with her breathing. "No one should see you in that bikini except your boyfriend."

She paused for a minute, contemplating something. "And who would that be?" she asked.

I bit my lip and let go of her waist, taking a step back. I knew this was her way of asking if we were still going to keep seeing each other. It had been a week, and that was kind of the unwritten rule that we had talked about. So what now? Did I want her to be my girlfriend? Could I even _handle_ a girlfriend right now?

Yes, and yes. But I wanted to know her opinion first.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

Her lips pursed and she folded her arms over her chest. "I think… maybe we should probably still see each other for a while."

I tried to hide the disappointment in my face by looking the other way, but I think she might have caught it. From the way she said it, it sounded like she still wanted to date just for her own sake. That wasn't the case for me. I think I was starting to really start to develop feelings for her now. And from our actions a few seconds ago, I thought she was too. Even still, I'd take what I could get.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay."

We watched each other for a moment before she moved her hand toward the door handle. Before she opened it, I stepped forward again. "Bella," I said quietly. And before she could say anything else, I kissed her again. This one wasn't as crazy as the other one, but it wasn't close-lipped, either. "Remember that, okay?"

She nodded and slipped out of the pool room. I slumped against the floor with my head in my hands.

_What was I going to do?_

* * *

**A/N:** I'd like to thank all of you, as well, for no demanding reviews. Oddly enough, I haven't had an issue with any of the people that apologized for it. Haha. I really do love you guys, and thanks to all of you that support me in my work.

Bad news: I can't reply to every review anymore. I tried today, but it won't let you send the same exact message twice. And even though I personalize about 70 percent of them, there's still that 30 percent that can't get a reply, so I don't really think that's fair. I will, however, reply if you have a question or something starting this chapter. Unfortunately, no preview of the next chapter will be given. Sorry, loves. I just don't have time to go through and make every single message different. :(

Love you,

Allie


	27. Confirmation

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Sorry I didn't post this week. You have no idea what my week was like. Long story short, it consisted of four of my teachers moving their finals up to last week and me studying my ass off every day, three days of helping the little freshman with their _Romeo & Juliet_ scenes because their showcase was Friday and they weren't that great, one job interview, two days of new work and one day of old work, SATs, and my mom breaking her leg on Sunday so I got to spend the day in the ER with a book. Needless to say, I haven't had much time to get a chapter written. According to every junior at my school, this last week was the hardest they've ever had. For serious, don't ever go to our school. College preps equal stress and stress equals not fun. Bah.

Sorry for the rant. It's been a long week and my mood has been shit. Here's the chapter.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 25:** Confirmation

**EPOV**

It took me about three minutes to gather myself together and join the party again. I didn't want to look suspicious in coming out of a shed just after Bella did, too. If there was one way to start suspicion, that would be it. So I grabbed one of the inflatable rafts and trudged back out to the party, tearing off my shirt and tossing the piece of plastic into the water before jumping in after it.

Upon surfacing, Alice immediately splashed me with water. "You got my hair wet, dumbshit."

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You're in a pool, dumbshit," I mocked.

She glared at me and tangled her limbs around Jasper's, looking to him to keep her safe from the evil water. He supported her underneath her butt and gave me a look that said '_Drench my wife in water again and I won't hesitate to hurt you_.' He was so whipped it wasn't even funny. But he always had been, as long as I'd known him. Even before they were dating and he was simply Emmett's best friend, he always catered to Alice first. And I had to admit, I admired the guy. I didn't think I'd ever be able to have my life revolve so solely around one person. Alice was lucky to have found him. He was good to her, and probably the only guy I'd ever let near my twin sister.

I hopped up onto my little raft and lay down on my stomach so I could still see and talk to everyone in the pool.

A quick scan of the party showed that Bella was in an intense conversation with Jacob. I considered going over there, but I knew I had to keep my distance. Plus, it wasn't any of my business. It wasn't like Jacob knew we were dating. No one did. But I couldn't help but wonder what else they'd be talking so animatedly about.

Her hands were waving around, motioning wildly in the air as she made a particularly good point. I watched as Jacob threw his head back and laughed at something she said. She glared at him, obviously not thinking the same thing was funny. I couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked when she was angry.

"Earth to Edward. Come in, Edward," Emmett said in a dramatically low voice as he waved a hand obnoxiously in front of my face. "What's got you all preoccupied?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied, focusing on him and the now-alone Jasper. I wondered where the girls had gone, but noticed that both Jacob and Bella had disappeared from where they had been before, and I assumed the four of them were together. "Just thinking."

"Anything in particular we should know about?" Jasper asked. I eyed him warily, wondering if he knew anything. But he merely looked inquisitive so I just shook my head.

"Aside from sleeping with Bella, of course," Emmett quipped. I let out something that sounded like a frustrated growl and socked him in the shoulder. He rubbed it, pretending like it hurt him even though we both knew I didn't have the ability to do so. "Jeez, Edward, calm down a little. I'm just having a little fun."

"I told you not to bring it up," I snapped.

Emmett held his hands up in surrender before plunging under the water. A second later, my raft was flipping over and_ I_ was the one under water. I recovered, sputtering, to Emmett's smug grin and resisted the urge to smack him in the face.

"Correction," Emmett said as he climbed upon the raft that I had gotten for myself. "You said not to bring it up in front of Bella. And if I'm not mistaken, Bella," he pronounced her name in two distinct syllables, emphasizing his point, "is not here."

I rolled my eyes and waded over to the side of the pool where I saw a Nerf football resting on its side. I picked it up and threw it to Jasper on the other side of the pool where he was treading water. He grasped it easily from the air and tossed it back to me, over Emmett's lounging body. He sat up awkwardly on the raft when the remaining sprinkles of water from the football hit his chest. He frowned at us, but lay back down on the raft and tucked his hands behind his head.

"I really don't see what the big deal is, though," Emmett continued. I gritted my teeth and chucked the ball back to Jasper. "I mean it was just one night, right? It's not like you guys are sleeping together now."

"Yeah, but still." I moved farther backward so I was farther away from Jasper, going long.

"It'd be different if you guys were still having sex. Or if you guys didn't use protection. That would suck. Could you imagine little Edwards and Bellas running around here?" Emmett laughed, but I froze. I didn't even move when the football hit me smack in the cheek. I didn't even flinch. The only sound I could hear was Emmett's half-worried-half-humorous "You _did_ use protection, right? Oh my god. You got Bella pregnant."

As Emmett said it out loud, it sounded even more real. I know I had told her that I had used a condom and that I wasn't stupid enough to go without but when I had woken up that morning, I hadn't seen any evidence of a condom. No used rubber, not even so much as a wrapper. _Shit_. She said she was on the pill, right? I fled from the pool without a word, only vaguely aware of Emmett laughing in the background as I shot into the house, not even bothering to dry off. I heard Esme shout after me to grab a towel, but I couldn't be bothered. I needed to talk to Bella.

Now.

I found the three girls and Jacob gathered in the kitchen, grabbing some beers and munching on some of the snacks that Esme had made for us for dinner. I immediately grabbed Bella by the arm with a hasty "Can I borrow you for a minute?" I tugged her out of the room and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind us.

She yanked her arm from my grasp. "What the hell are you—"

"Did we really use protection when we had sex?" I interrupted, not bothering to let her finish her sentence. This was way too important.

She opened her mouth and closed it again. "Uhm. I thought we both agreed that we both blacked out that night? How do you expect me to remember? I'm pretty sure you remember more than I do, anyway. Not to mention, you told me when we went out to lunch that you always used a condom 'no matter how drunk you were,'" she said sarcastically. "What happened to that?"

I bit my lip. Shit. "Wait, you told me you were on the pill, right? You hadn't missed a day or something stupid like that?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "I don't know, Edward. I don't think so? I wasn't worried. You told me you used a condom."

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath. "I thought maybe you had seen a condom and condom wrapper when you woke up and took it for some reason, maybe to get rid of evidence?" But before I had even finished my thought, I knew that wasn't the case. God damn it, we had unprotected sex. Well, not completely unprotected, but not completely protected either.

And if it turned out I had knocked her up, I would never forgive myself.

I fell back against the wall behind me and hit my head on the wall. "Fuck," I muttered.

We were both silent for a good minute or two. I was the first to break the silence. I blew a breath from between my lips. "Have you… you know…," I trailed off.

"Gotten my period?" she asked. I nodded. Periods always made me uncomfortable, even when hearing about them was good news. "I started two days ago."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Is it bad that I feel exponentially better now?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't really think about it. I just kind of assumed we had been safe when I got my period. I didn't even think about potential STIs. I should have mentioned something, I guess. That was stupid of me."

"No it wasn't," I said. "I didn't even think about it until just now when Emmett started making fun of me for it."

Bella sat down on the top of the toilet seat and crossed her legs under herself. "Edward…," she started timidly. "Have you ever thought that maybe we've been moving a little too fast? Our relationship, I mean." She paused and chanced a look at me from underneath her eyelashes. "I know we're just dating because of my fear of one night stands, but… I don't know. It doesn't really feel like that's all anymore, does it? It feels like there's more than that that's keeping us together."

"But in the pool house… you just said you wanted to stay together because you weren't ready to break up yet?" I was confused.

She shook her head. "No, I said I thought we should still stay together. I didn't say anything about why."

The corner of my mouth turned up into a smile. "Are you saying… maybe… we're dating for real now?"

Bella bit her lip for a moment. "That's what scares me. Edward, we _loathed_ each other not two weeks ago. Loathed isn't even a strong enough word for what we felt for each other. We couldn't even be in the same _room_. And now… I'm confused as to what I feel because I've gone from absolutely hating you to absolutely liking you in such a short time. It's not even realistic."

I couldn't fight back the laugh. "Bella, what about us has _ever_ been realistic? Think about it. As long as we've known each other, it's like we've been under some sort of curse. Not only were we next door neighbors, we had every single class together from elementary school all the way through college. And then I moved in next to you, completely unaware that you lived there. That's a mean sort of fate, Bella. And then by some strange twist in aforementioned fate, we slept together. And things changed drastically.

"If it hadn't been for your fear of one night stands, which, in essence, is my fault anyway, we wouldn't have gotten together. And if we hadn't been forced to start a relationship, we never would have found out that we might have feelings for each other that maybe surpass hate. Yeah, it's weird and unrealistic but that's who we are and how we've always been. Is it scary? Hell yes. But is it worth a shot? I can't speak for you, but I think so." She watched me from her place on the toilet seat. "So what do you say, Miss Swan. Will you be my girlfriend for real? No bullshit, no faking, be my girlfriend."

She cracked a small smile. "You're really asking me in a bathroom?"

I laughed. "It looks like I am."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Mr. Masen."

I couldn't help but smile as I moved forward and chastely pressed my lips to hers. "We can talk about it more when we get back to the apartments. Let's just act normal for now, alright? Nothing happened here."

She nodded and we quietly made our way from the bathroom, making sure no one saw us come out together.

* * *

It was much later, probably rounding eleven o'clock. Emmett wanted to get Rosalie to sleep so she could rest, but she was being stubborn. She refused to let her pregnancy become a handicap. She would stay up and watch a movie if that's what the rest of us were going to do.

The adults had gone up to their respective guest rooms a while ago, too old to stay up past nine. They'd be driving back to Forks tomorrow afternoon, so Rosalie and Emmett had offered them some of the spare rooms in their house. It wasn't like they didn't have enough to go around. So while they had decided to hit the hay, all of the children—sans Jacob, who had to get home because he had to work early in the morning—decided to stay up and watch a movie.

After much debate, we decided upon the movie _Big Fish_. It had a little bit of every genre in it, so everyone was satisfied.

Alice and Jasper were cuddled up on the Love Sac, her head resting on his shoulder. Every now and again, I noticed her press a soft kiss to his neck or collar bone and he'd reply with a hand through her hair or a kiss on her forehead. I felt like I was intruding upon a terribly romantic moment. I looked away, settling my gaze on the screen.

The sounds of serious lip locking drew me out of my stupor, though. It didn't take me long to guess who it was, and I wasn't surprised when I saw that I was right. Rosalie was sitting across Emmett's lap, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and one hand in his hair. He, on the other hand, had one hand on her back and the other on her hip. I looked away when the hand on her hip started to wander upwards. I didn't need to see my brother feel up Rosalie right in front of me. No thank you.

I was sitting on the couch with Bella, but we had a stack of pillows separating us like the Berlin Wall. After everything that happened in the pool today with Emmett, I didn't want him suspecting something was going on. That'd just make things worse, and he would end up telling everyone. And we couldn't deal with that right now. We had too much on our plates.

So we played it safe, sat away from each other on the only available couch that had been left, and ate our separate bowls of popcorn in silence as we watched the movie. It seemed like we were the only two that were actually paying a decent amount of attention to the film. And even still, I was somewhat distracted by the woman next to me. Part of me really wanted to pull her over to me and see what it would be like to cuddle with her, but I knew we couldn't have anyone else knowing what was going on between us. Not yet, at least. We'd talk more about that when we got back to the apartments.

She sighed loudly and collapsed into the palm of her hand, supporting her cheek with her elbow on the armrest at the edge of the couch. Her other hand, the one closest to me, was resting lightly on the couch next to her.

I folded my arms across my chest and sunk down into the couch. I wished this whole thing was just easy. I wished it could be like every other relationship and it wouldn't be a big deal if I brought her home and showed her off. But if I did that with her now, the family would freak out and it would be way too big of a deal. I didn't want to put Bella through that. Not yet, at least. We'd have to see where this went before we made any rash decisions. There was no sense in making a huge production out of it if it turned out to just be a one-act play.

But maybe she wanted to tell people. Maybe, secretly, she didn't like that I suggested to keep it quiet. Who would we tell, though? The entire family at once or just one or two people at a time? But then who would we have to decide to tell, and how would we ensure they would keep their mouth shut? It would be a tough decision, if it came down to that. I kind of hoped it wouldn't.

I took a deep breath and looked over to her from the corner of my eye. She seemed so far away. I glanced around the room at the other two couples. They were definitely in their own worlds. The dark room played in my favor, too. Maybe I could get away with something if it was little. A kiss, maybe? Or not. Rosalie and Emmett didn't know how to kiss quietly, and maybe Bella and I didn't either. That wasn't something I was quite ready to risk. Not yet.

Maybe I could just be really subtle and move the pillows onto the ground so I could just sit a little closer to her. But no, then they'd find the pillows on the ground and wonder why they were like that. _And_ I'd have to explain why I was so close to Bella. On purpose. That would arouse too much suspicion.

So it would have to be something small, but meaningful. Something we could both see, but no one else could. So what could I do?

I smiled as I thought of an idea. Slowly, I inched a little closer toward the middle, even though the pillows were there. I did my best not to move them as I reached underneath the stack of unnecessary decorative pillows. I doubted she would see my actions, so I'd have to be sly about it all. I watched the other two people in the room as I patted around on her side of the couch for the hand that had been resting on the couch.

When I found it, she jumped and let out a small gasp. I immediately withdrew my hand and put it in my lap, afraid that Jasper, Alice, Emmett or Rosalie would look over to see why she had gasped. Which, looking back, was a stupid idea. They were so lost in their own worlds that they probably thought she had been gasping at the movie. And by taking my hand away, she probably thought I was indecisive or did it on accident.

Whatever. I'd try again.

I fished my way under the pillows and found her hand more easily this time. She jumped again and looked down to her hand. I intertwined my fingers within hers and brought them to a midway point between us under the pillows. For now, this would have to do.

She turned to me and smiled, hopefully appreciating the gesture as much as I was right now. Even though we couldn't outwardly show our emotions to each other unless we were in the comfort of one of our apartments, it was nice to have as much contact as possible. I squeezed her fingers and she squeezed right back before she scooted closer to the middle so her arm wasn't stretching.

Finally satisfied with my means of communication, I settled down a little farther into the seat and watched the movie. But I was more tired than I thought. Before I knew it, I was fighting a fierce battle with my eyelids, and they won. We were about half way through the movie when I fell asleep.

I awoke to a hand jerking from mine and a bright light being turned on.

"Jesus," I muttered as I shielded my eyes with my now-free hand.

Rosalie stood with a tired smile at the light switch. "We all fell asleep," she explained. "I knew I should wake everyone up. You guys are welcome to crash here if you want. There's two rooms down here and four or five extras upstairs. Feel free to take whichever you want."

I looked over at Bella. "Wanna stay here tonight or would you prefer I just drove us home now?"

She shook her head. "Too sleepy. Want to go to bed." She was really cute when she was tired. Her cheeks were flushed with sleep and her hair was a little messy from falling asleep against the pile of pillows. She had faint red lines that dug into her cheeks from the edges and embroidery on the pillows that her face had been mashed against. It was adorable.

"Okay," I said, standing up and starting to walk towards a bedroom. "I'll see you all in the morning?" I asked, disappearing down the hall where Rosalie had said there were two spare bedrooms.

Not a minute later, I heard another pair of soft feet pad along behind me. "Edward," Bella said. I stopped and waited for her to catch up. "Goodnight," she said, kissing my cheek once before making contact with my mouth. It was brief, but so worth it.

That night, I fell asleep smiling.

* * *

**A/N:** **780 reviews gets you a chapter Saturday. 800 gets you one on Saturday **_**and**_** Sunday. :)**

So I've got some freaking awesome news. Like news beyond news beyond news: I definitely got offered to do some creative writing for Microsoft. No. Lie. I couldn't make that shit up if I wanted to. My mom ran into a family friend at the grocery store and they were asking her what I wanted to major in during college. When she told them creative writing, he started asking about like what I usually write, what genres, etc. And then (this is the best part) he told my mom to have me email him some of my stuff and he might hire me to work for Microsoft. MICRO-FUCKING-SOFT! AHHHHHHH!

I'm emailing him probably on Wednesday to find out a little more information, and then I'm going to do a shit-load of writing or sift through some of my old stuff until I find something _perfect_. Wish me luck! :DD Check our blog for more updates on this. Actually, check our blog for updates on everything. I posted last Monday telling everyone that it wouldn't be likely that I'd be able to post last week. It'll give you a good insight.

Love you!

Allie


	28. The Start

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Sorry it's late. Blog explains why. :( Thanks to everyone that congratulated me on the Microsoft deal (and to the many of you that asked what creative writing had to do with Microsoft: I have absolutely no idea. That's why I need to email him. Haha). I haven't had time to email him yet, but I'm definitely going to do so this week. I'll let you know. Not much else to say. Enjoy. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 26:** The Start

_4 years ago_

Bella rushed through the hall, pushing her way through the crowds of people leisurely strolling to her next class. Bella couldn't be bothered by them. She dodged people left and right and ignored the glances they were all shooting her. So what if they thought she was crazy? She had to get to the end of the hall. Now.

As she turned the final corner, she saw the massive bulletin board with all the student news at the end of the hall. She saw the corny purple background with the gold cutout letters that read 'Huskies' across the top. She saw the random papers scattered all along the bulletin board. She saw the paper she was looking for, but she couldn't see the text. It was blurred from where she was in the hall. She had to get there faster.

She upped her speed as she reached the final stretch and the people started thinning out. It was easier to run now. She was only a few yards away and the print was becoming more clear, but it still wasn't quite clear enough to read. It had been posted five minutes ago, and if Bella's class hadn't run late, she would have been here a half hour before anyone. But, of course, she couldn't, and because of this there was a huge crowd around the piece of paper.

Not caring about anyone else's feelings, she shoved people to the side and made her way to the front of the pack. Some people protested, but it was falling upon deaf ears. She had been waiting for this day since it had come last quarter.

She reached the front and quickly and easily found the paper that said "Sophomore Class Ranking" at the top. She quickly started scanning for her name.

"Swan, Swan, Swan, Swan, Swan," she muttered to herself as she started towards the bottom of the paper and made her way up. She figured it'd be less disappointing if she was looking from worst to best than from best to worst. When she came upon her name, she smiled but couldn't help but be a little upset.

Number two.

Last quarter, she had been number one and she had worked her ass off this quarter to keep it that way. She squeezed her eyes shut, dreading to see who was number one. She knew in the back of her mind that it would be him, but she wouldn't admit that to herself out loud. When she gathered up the courage, she opened her eyes and glanced back at the list to see the name that was typed so neatly above hers.

'Edward Masen.'

Of course. She rolled her eyes and let out a huge puff of air.

Her eyes snapped to the right when she heard a snicker. "Second, Swan?" Edward's voice asked. He was leaning against the wall next to the bulletin board with his arms crossed over his chest and a smug smile on his face.

Bella fought the urge to slap him upside the face. "I was first last quarter," she snarled.

"Ah, but it's not last quarter anymore, is it?" he asked. "Looks like I'm number one now." He smirked and gave a pointed glance at the list, almost as if he was just double checking that his name was still printed at the top of the list, even though there was no way it had changed within the last thirty seconds. Bella let out a low growl, but she wasn't sure if Edward heard her over the crowd of people surrounding them, pushing her practically straight into him as they tried to see their ranking. Bella just wanted to get out of there, even though she knew she had her next class with Edward anyway.

"How'd you get down here so fast?" she asked as she pushed herself away from the wall so she was farther away from Edward. "You were in class, I saw you. But we got out late and I was the first one out of class. How'd you beat me here?"

The side of his mouth tugged up. "Sometimes it's healthy to skip, Isabella. Even if it's just the last half hour."

Bella gritted her teeth. "It's _Bella_," she groaned.

He ignored her. "Isabella," he repeated. "You should probably get to class."

"I could say the same for you." She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin defiantly. "Creative writing won't be able to wait. You know how Professor Squinty is. That class is relatively small, especially for UW. He'll notice that you aren't there if you don't go now."

Edward couldn't help but laugh at her. "Professor Squinty? Is that what you're calling Professor Bordeaux? Where did you come up with that?"

Bella's eyes narrowed at him. She had let the nickname slip on accident. Professor Bordeaux was a snobby old French man with white hair that only covered the sides of his head and a bad comb-over. He had spectacles, not glasses, and he stood in a way that made it look like he was always looking down on people. Which wasn't surprising, considering his attitude. His eyes were always squinting as they peered down his nose to his class. He was a great teacher, and both Edward and Bella knew that, but he was nothing short of pompous.

At the moment, Bella hadn't decided exactly what she wanted to do with her life. She knew she wanted to go into English, but she wasn't exactly sure what field within English. I was kind of toying around right now, taking some Shakespeare, contemporary literature, and some writing classes. She really liked the Shakespeare class but hadn't so much enjoyed the contemporary literature. She hadn't yet made a decision on how she felt about the creative writing; they were only one week into the quarter. But she didn't completely hate it, she thought as she took her seat in the classroom.

Edward watched as Bella stormed off to their next class and waited a few moments before trailing after her. He didn't want to make it look like he wanted to walk with her. He didn't. The only reason he would was so he could gloat about the class rankings that he probably wouldn't give a shit about if she wasn't there anyway.

When he approached the classroom, he already knew he was late. Chances were, Professor Bordeaux would give him The Stare. He'd glance down his long, pencil nose and cock one arched eyebrow. He wouldn't need to say anything; The Stare spoke volumes. It had a way of making you want to shrink back into your skin and slither in a puddle to your seat so he'd stop looking you that way.

Sure enough, Edward slipped through the door two minutes late and avoided looking at Professor Bordeaux. He could practically feel The Stare following him until he reached his seat—the one next to Isabella, of course. He didn't sit there on purpose, it was just how the seats had worked out. Of course.

Professor Bordeaux let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Now that we're all here," he said with a final Stare towards Edward, who shrunk down a little in his seat. "I have an assignment for you all. It is optional, but I highly suggest you all take it seriously and treat it as though it was worth a decent portion of your grade." He paced up and down the aisles of desks, handing out a sheet of white paper with typed black print that explained the guidelines of the assignment. "Tonight, I want you to go home and write a short story. It could be about anything you please. I suggest getting an early start so you have time to get it edited before everyone goes to sleep tonight.

"When you turn them in tomorrow, I will read them over. Whoever I think has the most well-written story _and_," he paused for dramatic effect, "has the most potential as a writer will not only get their work published by a close friend of mine, but they will work closely with a publishing company to get their first novel onto bookshelves around the world." A few gasps sounded around the room. "I suggest spending a good amount of time on this. So I'm going to let you all go early today so you can go back to your dormitories and work on it. Enjoy your day."

With that, the class rose and walked towards the door. As they were exiting, Edward and Bella got pushed together in the crowd.

"You going to enter, Isabella?" Edward asked for the sake of competition.

Bella hadn't been planning on it. In fact, she didn't want to. It was too late of notice for her to write something quality. He had said it was optional, and she had other homework to do. It wasn't going to take priority. Maybe if she had time, she'd throw something together tomorrow before her classes and turn it in for whatever credit he'd give her.

"No," she responded honestly. "Probably not."

"What, you afraid you'll take second? Again?" Another smug grin plastered itself on his stupid face and he cocked an eyebrow, daring her to enter the contest.

Bella was torn. She didn't have time for this, but the urge to beat him was strong in her chest, especially after seeing the class ranks today. She felt like she had to one-up him again. It was almost like an instinct, a need, a craving to beat him at something. Anything, really. But now that he was ahead of her in something, she had to reclaim her spot somehow.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "No," she sneered. "Actually, you know what? I think I will turn one in. And how much do you want to be that it beats yours? Not that it'd take much," she said with a smirk.

"You're on, Isabella."

He leaned his back against the wall and watched as she scurried down the hall towards their dorms. It was times like these when he wished there was no such thing as coed dorms. That way he wouldn't have to worry about the fact that she would be one floor below him, working on the same assignment. He had a feeling that that thought alone would mess with his head.

* * *

Bella felt an odd sense of déjà vu as she sprinted through the halls for the second time in twenty-four hourse. Her eyes were tired, as was her body. She spent a good part of the night finishing the short story, and then the rest of the night editing it. Total, she couldn't have gotten more than an hour of sleep. And that's only because she fell asleep on top of her laptop around three. When her roommate had come home from a party around four-ish, the slamming of their door made her shoot up in her chair and finish her work. Sometimes it was a little beneficial to have a partier as a roommate.

She was actually really excited. She was confident in her work and she loved everything about it. If her story didn't win, she wasn't sure exactly what would. Professor Bordeaux hadn't specified a number of pages, so she hoped that it was alright that her story was just under twenty-five. Once she got started, she couldn't stop. It was like a weird trance she got into when she had started writing and she couldn't get out of it for the life of her. Not that she really wanted to.

She found that she really enjoyed writing. At the beginning of the quarter, she feared it might be eerily similar to just writing a whole bunch of essays, but when she had free reign to write about whatever she wanted, the words poured out of her like a waterfall. It was almost an overload of words, but she thought it was completely worth it.

When Bella arrived at her Creative Writing class, she just barely made it before the class started. She slapped her thick story down on the top of the pile of stories on top of his desk. Hers was easily the longest. Most others seemed to be roughly ten pages or so. But no. Bella's was twenty-three and a half.

_Whatever_, she thought as she made her way to the last vacant seat, just in front of Edward. _At least it's twenty-three and a half pages of good work._

"Didn't think you were going to show, Isabella," Edward said quietly from behind her as Professor Bordeaux started his lecture. "I thought for sure you'd given up."

"And give you the satisfaction of that?" she asked, her eyes never straying from the board where Professor Bordeaux was scribbling down notes they should know. "Absolutely not. In fact, I was up most of the night finishing it. It was twenty-three and a half pages," she said with pride. "How long was yours?"

"Seven," he said. "They won't pick yours, you know. Twenty-three and a half pages is way too long. They're putting the story into either a magazine or book filled with short stories. How are they going to fit all that in there?" He chuckled. "They won't," he answered himself. "That's why they won't pick yours. The shorter, the better. Plus, it takes a real talent to get an entire plot across in seven pages. It's not so hard with twenty-three," he said. "And a half."

Bella glared at him before turning back to the front and catching up on the notes she had missed while talking to him. "We'll just have to see tomorrow, won't we?" she asked. She wouldn't let him see the insecurities he had just installed into her brain. She was worried now that it'd be too long. And now, maybe she wouldn't even get second. Maybe Professor Squinty would just look at it and laugh, not even bothering to read the hours of time she put into the story.

Her face fell slightly and she sort of sunk into her chair. She hoped Edward wouldn't notice, but the low chuckle that sounded behind her told her otherwise.

If it turned out to be as bad as she was thinking, there was a good chance she wouldn't ever be able to face their family again. She'd be mortified. But for right now, she had to appear somewhat confident. She had to muster up whatever dignity she had left after his little speech and run with it. If he saw any more signs of weakness, he'd feed off it until they found out the results tomorrow. And if he continued, she'd be so down by tomorrow that she'd be terrified to show up to class and face that rejection in front of the rest of the class. So what if all but one person in the class was going to be rejected. It didn't matter to her. Just facing the rejection in front of him would be enough.

Bella shot out of her chair the second the class ended. She was the first one out the door, which was a feat within itself, considering her seat was one of the farthest away from the door. She regretted it as soon as she reached the hallway, though. There was no way Edward missed that, and he knew it was something that he would be able to use against her eventually.

Maybe if she just avoided him until tomorrow, she'd be fine.

She just crossed her fingers that he had no reason to hang around the dorm common room tonight and tomorrow. Or maybe she'd just stay on her own floor. Whatever it took, she'd stay away from him. Even if that meant staying in her room and catching up on the homework she didn't do the night before.

Edward laughed quietly to himself as he watched her scurry out of the room. He knew full well that the length of the story didn't affect her ability to qualify at all. But if there was one thing that Edward knew how to do, it was how to mess with Isabella Swan. He was skilled at getting inside her head and messing her up so she'd be extremely anxious for the following day or two.

This time was no different. For all he knew, her story was the best one of all of them. Really, he had no right to tell her that it wouldn't be chosen. But he loved the concern and stress that it gave her. It either made his victory that much sweeter or that much worse. Either way, he went down swinging.

* * *

Bella was the first one to arrive at her class the next day.

She had let everything Edward said stew in her mind overnight, but she refused to let it affect her showing up to class. She was worried, no doubt about it, but she was determined not to let him get in her head again. It had happened way too many times before and Bella was sick of it. She had decided angrily last night that enough was enough. Edward Masen was not going to get into her head anymore. She was going to be confident.

So when he strolled in, Bella straightened her posture and raised her chin to show that his words yesterday hadn't worried her at all. She relaxed a little when he passed by, though. She was afraid she might start to look like Professor Squinty if she kept it up.

"Ready for second, Isabella?" he sneered from his seat one row back and one seat to her right.

Bella's eyes shut tightly as she fought to keep him out of her head. _Ready for second?_ His voice echoed through the walls of her mind. That seemed like his mantra lately, just paraphrased in a couple different ways. Bella hated rejection and failure, and he knew that. The fucker knew just how to mess with her, she thought to herself.

But she ignored him this time, instead turning her attention to the front of the classroom where Professor Squinty had just all but slammed the stack of stories onto his desk. The classroom immediately quieted down and he stood in front of his desk, looking down his nose at all of us.

"Frankly," he started, his voice reminding Bella of the fancy butlers in movies. It seemed to drone on as if it was some sort of molasses dripping from a tree. "The stories I read last night were not up to standard. They were poorly written, filled with grammatical errors, and lacked any type of originality. The fact is, class, if this is any indication of what your writing will be for this quarter, you're probably in the wrong class. Essay Composition 101 is down the hall."

Bella's stomach tied up in knots. Was it really that bad?

Edward bit his lip. He had been dreading this. He was really nervous, now. After all he had done to Isabella, he was going to be shot down like everyone else in the class. And he would just be that much more humiliated if Bella ended up winning.

"However," he said as he moved toward the stack and picked up two of the stories from the top of the pile. "There were two stories that not only met but exceeded my expectations." Edward watched as the entire class perked up and tried to see whose stories he had in his hand, each person wishing and hoping that it was theirs even though the odds were stacked against them. They didn't care. They just kept hanging on to that small amount of hope that told them they would be one of the two.

"Would Edward Masen please stand up for a moment?"

Relief washed through Edward like a flash flood. He stood up and smiled as a few members of the class clapped. The others were too nervous knowing that their chances had just lowered that much more. When he chanced a glance at Isabella, she was staring straight down at her desk. She had appeared confident earlier, throwing Edward a little off-stride. But apparently that had just been a front so he wouldn't know that his words actually did get to her. Another smug smile tugged its way to his lips.

"Mr. Masen's story was short, but sweet. It grasped a way of looking at things from a completely different perspective: a cynical one. It was beautifully written with minimal errors, so for that, Mr. Masen, I applaud you. Job well done," Professor Bordeaux said with a tight smile. The man wasn't really made to smile, Edward thought as he sat back down at his seat.

"And would Miss Isabella Swan also stand?" Edward's face fell a little as he watched her stand up next to her desk. The smile on her face was uncontrollable, and Edward wanted to smack himself. Of course this would happen. It always happened and there was never anything he could do about it. "Miss Swan's story was especially intriguing. She took a plotline that many have used before and twisted it to the point where it was nearly unrecognizable. The language and symbolism packed into this short story are marvelous." He nodded at Isabella and she lowered herself to her chair.

A few of the class members sunk back down into their seats, no longer caring about anything else now that they knew it wasn't them.

"The only issue I had with either of these was that I could only choose one. So which one is it going to be?" he asked rhetorically, as if he didn't already know the answer. He set the two stories onto his desk before looking back at the class. Bella's heart was racing at three hundred miles per hour. She wanted to win terribly. "I'd like to congratulate Isabella Swan on her story being published and receiving the help to get out a first novel. Congratulations," he said as he held up a few pieces of paper that no doubt explained everything.

She stood to go grab the papers from him, blushing as the class clapped for her even though they all secretly resented her.

Edward dropped his head into his hands and sighed. Damn it. Now he was going to have to face her after all the shit he gave her the day before. He'd never live it down. He pursed his lips in thought, wondering if there would be a way to disappear into the ground without anyone noticing. It was bad enough that the professor had gotten his hopes up just to have them crushed, but he just _had_ to gloat about how great he was the day before.

_Whatever_, he thought to himself. _It was worth putting her down, right?_

The class went on as normal after that, but Bella didn't pay attention. She was too excited. She read through all the papers that contained her contracts and information about the publishing company she'd be working with. Bella was so immersed in it that she didn't even realize when the class had started to clear out. A few people congratulated her as they passed.

She gathered her things together, a shit-eating grin on her face.

"So what'd you end up writing about anyway, Swan?" Edward asked as he leaned up against the desk in front of her with his arms crossed over his chest.

Bella couldn't help but smile as she spun to leave the room. "A cocky bastard who needed a few pegs knocked down. And the girl who did it."

* * *

**A/N:** **850 reviews gets you an update Saturday, 870 gets you one on Saturday **_**and**_** Sunday. If you guys get me to 900, I'll update every day for a week. :o**

And just for shits and giggles, I've got a little contest. If anyone can tell me the significance of the numbers: **28:06:42:12** (without googling it), I'll send you the chapter before I post. Yeah, it's random. But I can't tell you why without giving away the answer. Only the first person that guesses correctly gets it. And I want details. Specific details. As specific as possible.

Can you guys give me the names of some good fics to read? I'm a little picky, and I think I've read all the one of the type that I'm looking for. I like romance, rated M, at least 600 reviews (but this is flexible) and a decent number of chapters with a decent number of words per chapter (and good grammar… that's a big pet peeve of mine). Don't give me ones like Wide Awake that, chances are, I've already read. :) I wanna read ones that aren't so crazy popular but are still really good.

In return, you can check out my personal site (www(dot)fanfiction(dot)com(slash)~ScribbledLove) for some awesome suggestions for yourself.

Allie


	29. Strike Out

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** The answers I got for the numbers were really interesting. A couple people got the idea right, but it was kind of obvious that you googled it. Google says one thing, but it doesn't give you specifics. The answer I was looking for was that it's from Donnie Darko, and then any specific details from the movie about the numbers. (If you googled it, you'd only know that that was when the world ends.) The first person to answer correctly didn't sign in, but **Biscuit**, if you're reading, let me know and we'll work something out. The first logged in person to answer correctly was **Ivygirl702**. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 27:** Strike… Out

**BPOV**

It had been a month since the party and Edward and I still hadn't told anyone about our pseudo-relationship.

Granted, not much else had progressed in our relationship. Physically, I mean. I think, secretly, we were both terrified of moving any further than clumsy over-the-clothes petting. The closest we had gotten to being naked was at the party when we were both in our swimsuits. That one night had pretty much ruined sex with each other, in my own opinion. It wasn't that we didn't want to—hell, I knew I was ready, and if the bulge in his pants after any particularly heated hook up was any indication, he was too—but our history freaked us out.

There was always this big cloud looming over us anytime we got even relatively close. Maybe it was the fact that we had both seen each other naked, but we didn't remember what the other looked like. Maybe we were afraid it wouldn't be as good as the last time. Or maybe it was just a line that we were too afraid to cross given our hateful relationship in the past. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I didn't know. What I did know was that there was a wall that neither of us could bear to pass.

But we hadn't had much time to spend together within the last week or so. I had been nonstop working on my book, which was now due back from the editors on Monday. We had been on a couple dates since the party, but they generally took place at one of our apartments so we wouldn't have to worry about running into any of the crew.

We spent way too many of our nights "watching" movies while really just making out on the couch until we either decided that we couldn't take much more without removing some sort of clothing or one of us was too tired to keep going. We never slept at the other's apartment. It was sort of some unwritten rule that we had both agreed to follow.

As of right now, Edward was over at my apartment and we were "watching" another movie on my couch. I think he had put on Donnie Darko, but we hadn't been watching the movie long enough for me to ensure that when he reached his arm over my shoulder so I could cuddle close to him. Not only was this a little distracting, but he knew that as soon as he did that it was only a matter of time before I wanted more.

Sure enough, about five minutes later I leaned up and pressed my lips once against his neck. It wasn't much, but it always set him off. We knew what got the other ticking, and each night seemed like some sort of competition to see who would break first. The count was about even, but tonight it had been him to break first. That spot on his neck almost always got him.

He had immediately pinned me to the couch and ran his nose along my jaw. He drew a line from my chin to my ear, pressing a light kiss on the soft skin behind it. I couldn't help but shudder.

I didn't want to wait any longer, so I brought my hand up and directed his mouth so it was even with mine. He hesitated for a moment, heightening the moment and hovering over my lips.

"Hi," he said with a smile.

I grinned. "Hi."

I watched as he took a breath and his eyes closed before he closed the distance and pressed his warm lips to mine. It wasn't long until we delved into open-mouthed, hot-tongued, passionate kissing. Our tongues didn't battle for dominance, they simply entangled together in a mess of muscle. It wasn't gentle and kind, it was rough and hot.

My arms found their way around his neck and I played with the shorter hair on the nape of his neck, twisting them between my fingers. He let out a breathy groan and parted my legs with his knee so he could settle between them. When his jean-covered hardness came in contact with my center, I couldn't help but arch my back and let out an embarrassingly loud moan. It was just the friction I needed.

His hand ventured lightly up and down my right side, just a feather of a touch. I felt like all of my senses were heightened as he slowly moved his hand up to cup my breast in his palm. I sighed into his mouth and ground my hips against his.

But it all came crashing down when I heard my front door open. My mind immediately assumed the worst, and I assumed it was Alice who had just invited herself in for some girl talk. My heartbeat, which was already pounding a million miles an hour, sped up to dangerous levels. She couldn't see us on my couch. This was not the way I wanted to tell her.

As if it would help, I shoved Edward off me and he landed with a loud _thunk_ and an "ouch" onto my floor. I shot straight up and my head snapped to the front door. My head was already trying to come up with excuses as to why Edward was on top of me on my couch, but I was coming up blank. I was preparing myself for her to freak out on the both of us and a long night of questioning when I finally saw who was actually standing at my door. It wasn't Alice at all.

"Jacob," I breathed, relieved. He was the only one that knew of our relationship, and that was only an accident after our first "date."

"Oh, honey, that could have been so much worse than it actually was," he said as he closed the door behind him. "Hey Bella," he finally greeted me as he wandered into the living room with us. "Hey Edward." Edward kept his eyes focused on the ground, embarrassed, as he raised a hand over his head so Jacob could see it over the couch. "Whatcha watchin'?" He plopped himself down onto the couch and kicked his feet up onto the coffee table. Edward reached behind me and pulled one of my throw pillows onto his lap, but Jacob just laughed at him. "Oh, sweetie, it's not like I've never seen an erection before."

Keeping the pillow in front of him, Edward stood and walked to the bathroom, grumbling something about the bathroom and cockblocking.

"Jacob, what are you doing here?" I asked him.

He looked over to me and smiled. "I'm here to tell you that there's a bowling party tomorrow. All of us are going and you two are invited. We're meeting at four or so and then we might go for some drinks afterward. We haven't really decided yet. It's kind of up to whatever everyone's feeling up to at the end of the night. So are you guys in or what?"

I glanced back at the bathroom. "That should be fine for both of us. We were planning on making dinner over at his place but that was basically it. Is that all you came here to tell us or was there a good reason for bursting in on our perfectly good night?" I asked, a little irritated. I was enjoying myself, damn it, and he ruined the buzz.

"Oh, stop worrying your pretty little head," he said as he ruffled my hair. "I thought we could catch up on all your Edwardian news. Don't think I didn't see his hand on your tit." He raised his eyebrows twice.

I tried not to blatantly growl, but I'm not sure I was completely successful. "There's nothing that exciting to tell you. We've gone on a few dates. We've kissed. A lot. Enough said. We haven't talked about telling anyone and it doesn't seem like we're going to anytime soon."

Before Jacob could comment, Edward returned into the living room. He tossed the pillow onto the couch and stood behind where I was sitting on the couch. "I'm going to head home and let you two girls talk," he said sadly, pressing a light kiss to my lips from above me. It was slightly Spiderman-esque, and it made me smile. I felt like an idiot most of the time around him, but I really liked all the little things he did to make me smile. Like that. And he was being such a good sport about it all. He didn't even get angry at Jacob for busting in on us like that. He just took it all in stride.

"No," I said, capturing his cheeks between my hands and looking at him upside down. "Don't go. Jacob was just leaving, weren't you, Jacob?" I said with a fierce glare in his direction.

Jacob sighed and put his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine." He stood from the couch. "Even though I've been here like two minutes, I'll leave. I'll see you guys tomorrow. But if you aren't planning on telling anyone, you might want to keep it in your pants or people will get suspicious. And I'm not going to lie for you. It's your job to tell them before they find out on their own. Got it, kids?"

Edward laughed. "I feel like I'm being lectured by the teacher after pushing a littler kid over on the playground."

"We got it, Jacob. Please leave?" I asked as politely as I could. "With sugar on top?"

Jacob shook his head, smiling, before he walked out the door with a wave. "Don't forget protection!" he shouted into the hall, making sure all our neighbors could hear him. I swear, as much as I loved Jacob, he made me want to strangle him all too often. Not fun. Not fun at all when he's your best friend.

"Is the mood completely killed?" I asked Edward as he came over and sat down on the couch next to me.

"A little. But we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow," he said with a wink. "How about you go grab those ice cream sandwiches we didn't finish a few nights ago? Let's just finish watching the movie for now."

I nodded and, after grabbing a sandwich for each of us, snuggled up to his side and rested my head on his shoulder.

* * *

"STRIKE!" Alice yelled, shooting her fists into the air in victory.

I dropped my head into my hands as another 'X' appeared in her screen. The others groaned collectively. Alice had been beating all our asses since the second we got here. I think we had all underestimated the tiny little girl. She hadn't hit _all_ strikes, but the ones that weren't strikes were either spares or only had one left. She was schooling us all.

"I'm going to go get some more pop," she sang as she skipped past us and up to the food area.

"This is ridiculous," Emmett said, standing up in front of all of us. We had all pretty much given up and taken a pathetic stance. "We need to get ourselves into gear. She's like eighty pounds soaking wet, and we can't even throw a bowling ball as well as her? Come _on_ guys. We can do this."

"Speak for yourself," Rosalie mumbled, slouching in her chair. "Let's see you beat her."

Edward stood up next to Emmett and folded his arms across his neck. I smiled to myself. He always followed in Emmett's footsteps, even now that he was twenty-four. I had a feeling it wouldn't change anytime soon, either. "Okay. Game plan," he said. I grinned at the serious look he got on his face when he started talking strategy. "We are no longer playing for ourselves. We are playing to beat Alice. No matter what, none of us have the scores right now to beat Alice, even if we get a strike for all the next throws. So we have to try and win the next game."

"Yeah," Emmett said. "Throw the best game you can and don't get discouraged. Remember what you learned in PE back in high school. Aim for the spot between the one and two pins. That's a guaranteed strike. And do the four-step approach, okay?" He demonstrated the correct way to step in order to throw the ball correctly.

"This is dumb," I grumbled. "It's bowling. Let Alice be good at it."

Jasper, Rosalie, and Jacob gasped. "Says the most competitive girl I know," Edward said with a short laugh. "How could you _not_ want to beat her at this?"

"You know she'll just gloat about it until one of us beats her at something else. We'll never hear the end of this. _Ever_," Jacob emphasized as he stood up, taking Edward and Emmett's side.

Rosalie shook her head as she sat back in her seat, adamant about not going anywhere. "No way," she said. "You guys are welcome to try and beat her. I'm not here to beat anyone. How about we just play for fun? Or is that not fun anymore," she asked with a laugh. "You're taking this way too seriously, babe."

"Jasper?" Edward pleaded. "Come on, man."

He shook his head. "Fuck no. She'd murder me if she found out I was trying to make her worse at something she was really good at. And I don't know if you've ever had to face the wrath of Alice, but it's not something I want to do anytime soon. Alright? So let's just leave it alone and let her be. It's just a game, guys. It's not like she's planning to burn your house down."

"Fine," Jacob said. "Suit yourself. But when she's annoying the hell out of you, don't come crying to me. I absolutely will not throw my hot pink Chanel hanky in your direction."

"So it's three versus three versus one," Emmett said. "That's still not bad. We can still win. We're a group of big guys, yeah? Yeah. Let's do this." He pounded Edward on the fist and then held it out to Jacob who stared at it as if someone had just handed him female panties. He looked like he was allergic to it. Emmett put it back down with a shrug.

Alice won the game, as predicted. And when the second game started up, so did the boys' concentration. They were dead-set on beating Alice. I shook my head, rolling my eyes a little as Edward stepped up to take his turn. He went to the ball return and picked two up, weighing them each in a hand. His short-sleeved shirt showed off most of his arms, and I couldn't help but bite my lip as I watched his biceps strain under the weight of each of the balls. Whether he was doing it on purpose or not, I don't know. But he was doing a damn good job of it if that was the case.

He stepped up to the line and brought his bowling ball up in front of his face, measuring the angle he'd need to throw it to be exactly right. After nodding once, he took a few steps back. I couldn't help the drool that may or may not have escaped the side of my mouth as I got to watch his back muscles and butt muscles flex as he drew the ball back and released if forward onto the alley. I couldn't see all of his face, but his profile was a mask of pure concentration as he kept a close eye on the ball that was rapidly heading towards the triangle of pins.

I could practically envision myself running my hands over the smooth, toned plains of his back as he lay on top of me, his mouth working his way from my neck, to my chest, to my stomach, to my—

"Bella?" Rosalie asked, glancing suspiciously between Edward and me. "Are you alright?"

I'm sure my eyes widened in realization of what I'd done, but I refused to let myself admit it. "Yeah," I said, ignoring the fact that my voice was incredibly airy, which is how it usually gets when I spend too much time thinking about Edward. Or, rather, physical activities with Edward. "Fine," I said. "Just daydreaming."

She nodded, completely unconvinced. But I couldn't gather myself to care enough to say anything else.

It wasn't that I had never had a steamy dream about Edward before, but this one seemed particularly graphic and vivid. Maybe I was ready to talk about moving forward in our relationship. Maybe, when we got home, I would ask him if he wanted to come inside to talk about sex and the telling of our friends.

Maybe.

I was pretty quiet for the rest of the game, which Alice won despite the efforts of Jacob, Edward, and Emmett. Jacob had gotten somewhat close to her, but he still lost. They had to face it: Alice was the best bowler. And would be that way for a long time coming. I think we had originally planned to go out for drinks afterward, but Emmett and Edward and Jacob were too depressed from their loss to Alice that they didn't feel like doing anything more that night.

We each slowly made our way to our respective cars, Alice's bragging carrying so far that Edward and I could hear her as she and Jasper got into the car to drive away.

"You should have tried to help us beat her," Edward said as he moved to open the passenger door for me. "You might have been able to do it."

I sighed. "I doubt it. It might have just pissed her off."

"Or you might have beaten her," he offered. I couldn't help but laugh. The boy had a one-track mind. "So listen," he started, a curious-yet-knowing tone in his voice. "I heard Rosalie a little earlier ask me if you were alright. What were you doing?"

I shook my head, smiling. "Checking out the hottie in lane two, of course."

His brows furrowed and he stole a quick glance at me before he twisted in his seat to look out the back window so he could back up. "But we were in lane four," he told me, as if I didn't already know this. The shoe-cleaning fumes must have gotten to his head. He was being ridiculously dense.

"No shit, Sherlock." I laughed. "What do you think I was doing?"

He smirked and flexed one of his toned arms. "Checking out my body," he said, winking at me.

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." I shrugged nonchalantly. I wouldn't let him know that I totally was. That would make me the loser in the beginning of this contest to see who could hold out on attacking the other first. It wasn't as if I didn't catch him checking out my ass a few times when I was leaning over to bowl. He wouldn't get anything out of me until he said something first. And I doubted that he would.

The ride home was silent save for the rising sexual tension in the car. We'd be having one steamy make out session if I was any judge of our characters.

But we were both surprisingly calm, waiting for the other to crack as we rode the elevator up to our floor. It took just about everything in me not to just attack him. Fuck the rules. I wanted him naked, and I wanted him on my bed. Badly. I wanted to see those rippling muscles flex underneath me without the barrier of a shirt.

Or pants.

I was wringing my hands as a distraction so I wouldn't reach out and grab him in a completely inappropriate place.

He looked like he was having an easy time as he strolled down the hall to my door, standing in front of it as I unlocked it and pushed it open. I didn't understand how he was being so chill about everything. Unless, of course, he maybe didn't want me. Or maybe he wasn't ready, and if I invited him in I'd be making a fool of myself.

"So… thanks for driving," I said, staring at the ground as if it would give me the courage to invite him inside. I had a feeling he would know that I meant for the entire night if I asked him now.

"No problem," he said.

I wanted to kiss him, but I was afraid that even one kiss would send me over the edge and I'd end up begging him to listen to me and not freak out and leave me when he found out I wanted to take it further. And that would be a little overdramatic, even for me.

He nodded once and backed away to his own apartment. I leaned against the doorjamb and watched him open his door. "Later, Bella," he said as if he was waiting for me to stop him at any moment. Like he knew my entire devious plan and was taunting me for not having the balls to do it. The tone in his voice sent me over the edge.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked, biting my lip and refusing to look at him. Sure, it was my stubbornness that had spoken out and invited him in. But it was like a flash of lightning. It was there one second, but the next you were left wondering if it actually had just happened or if it was your imagination. And now that my hypothetical sky had darkened again, I was left anxious and shy for his answer.

He opened his mouth to respond, but at that very second the phone in his apartment rang.

He looked towards me and back into his house, as if deciding what he should do. And it was immediately clear to me. If he went to answer the phone, that meant he didn't want to come in. And if that was the case, well, I'd just have to move far, far away. But if he ignored it and just closed his door, it meant he wanted me as much as I wanted him. And he couldn't wait until we finally had a chance to talk about things and work everything out.

Time seemed to slow down to a glacial pace as I watched his mind calculate which was more important to him. The phone call, or me. I held my breath and watched him, hoping that I knew him well enough to know that he would pick me over the phone call any day. But it was becoming less and less clear that this would be the case. The more he hesitated, the less chance I was figuring I had. The phone was only going to ring a few more times. It was now or never.

And with one last sorrowful glance at me, he slipped into his apartment and answered his phone.

I was shocked. I don't know how long I stood there, but I eventually slid down the side of the wall and ended up wrapping my arms around my knees and burying my head in them. I didn't care who could or couldn't see me. I couldn't be harmed by anything else right now. I was already hurting pretty bad. I thought we were stronger than this. But apparently not. Apparently I wasn't that important to him, or he wouldn't have done that to me. If he wanted me, he would be here right now.

A wave of rejection washed through me as my chest tightened and my tear ducts slowly started leaking salty tears. Fuck.

* * *

**A/N:** **1055 reviews between today and tomorrow's updates gets a double update Tuesday. The 1000th reviewer gets the chapter(s) a day early.** If the 1000th reviewer isn't signed in, the first signed in reviewer after will get it, so make sure you're signed in when you review. Or provide an email. :)

It's interesting to see how you guys have changed your opinions. Everyone's favorite chapters used to be the flashbacks, and now everyone prefers the present. :) Haha. Unfortunately, we won't be getting rid of the flashbacks anytime soon. We're keeping to the pattern: Bella, Bella, flashback, Edward, Edward, flashback. Repeat. :)

I love you with every fiber of my being.

Allie


	30. Our Reconciliation

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** A little lemony goodness ahead. It's the chapter you've all been waiting for, so I won't make you wait any longer. :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 28: **Our Reconciliation

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, but I was vaguely aware of eventually standing up and collapsing face first onto my couch. I slapped my hand on the back of the couch, searching for the knit blanket I knew was there. I quickly found it and pulled it over myself as I curled up in a ball on my side. Tears were leaking out of my eyes like a broken faucet and I didn't know how to fix it.

It was probably stupid of me to be so upset over something so little, but I couldn't help but feel like he'd made his decision and it wasn't me. I thought, after everything we had gone through, that we were okay. I guess not. I guess I was just a little presumptuous in my thoughts on our relationship.

My chest hurt. I wanted to go change into sweats and grab a tub of ice cream, but I couldn't find the energy to even twitch, let alone walk across the apartment.

Why was this affecting me so much? It was just Edward. Edward, the boy I've hated since I was four years old. I had no reason to be angry and upset at him. Sure, we were in a relationship. But we hadn't told anyone. It can't really be official until we tell people, right? Maybe I had just come off too strong. He probably wasn't ready for that and I practically forced him into it. Damn it, I shouldn't have been so pushy. I should have gone with my own instincts and not said anything. Then I wouldn't be here, crying over a stupid boy.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing them not to cry anymore. Unfortunately it backfired and the tears only came out faster.

A door behind me opened, but I couldn't find it in me to get up and see who it was. My gut wanted it to be Edward, but my head knew it wouldn't be. He didn't want me, so why would he come after me? It must have been someone else. I could only hope it was Jacob this time so I wouldn't have to explain everything right now.

"Bella?" a soft masculine voice asked from behind me.

Well, fuck. This wasn't how I wanted him to see me. I tried to even my choppy breathing and I kept my eyes shut, pretending I had fallen asleep. Maybe if I played possum he would leave and I would have more time to prepare myself before I saw him.

"Oh, shit. Bella," he said, his voice full of concern. I felt one of his hands brush some hair away from my face. I kept my breaths as even as possible, still hoping he'd leave. He didn't. "What's wrong? Did I do something to upset you?"

Momentarily forgetting that I was supposed to be sleeping peacefully, I turned over on the couch so my back was to him.

He was quiet for a few minutes, and the only thing I heard was his deep breaths as I'm sure he decided what to do. "Bella, I know you're awake. Will you please talk to me and tell me what I did wrong so I don't do it again?" He brought his hand down and stroked my back lightly up and down. It was surprisingly calming. I was still anticipating a gentle letdown, so I was a little stubborn in giving into his requests.

Edward didn't say anything more. He simply lay down behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist, nuzzling his nose into my neck. "Please tell me what I did wrong?"

I let out a huff of air. "You answered the phone," I mumbled so quietly I could barely hear myself.

He sat up a little straighter so he could look over my shoulder and at my face. It was embarrassing how tearstained I'm sure my face was and how red and puffy my eyes probably were. I don't know why it was affecting me so much, but I couldn't do anything to stop it. "What'd you say?" he asked softly.

"It's okay," I replied a little louder. "I understand. It's fine that you don't want me." If I beat him to it, maybe it wouldn't be so hard. "Just please leave."

"What are you talking about?" His voice was gentle and it sounded like he was afraid of breaking me. "You want me to leave?"

I shook my head and burrowed my face into the pillow. He drew my hair back so it was out of my face and behind my ear. "Bella, love, you're going to have to talk to me and tell me what's wrong. I can't understand you when your voice is muffled by the pillow." He pressed a kiss to the corner of my forehead. "Please come out and talk to me?" He wrapped his arm back around my waist and snuggled up close to me. "I'll just wait here until you decide to come out of hiding," he said in my ear before pressing a kiss on the bottom of the lobe and resting his head just behind mine. I could feel his breath on my neck.

I pursed my lips together, debating as to what I should do. He didn't sound like he wanted to leave me, but maybe he was just buttering me up to let me down easier. And even though it was going to be tough, if he did want to leave me I wanted to get it over with. For the second time tonight, maybe I should just put myself out there and get it done with. Like ripping off a Band-Aid.

"You answered the phone instead of coming over. It's totally fine. I just don't understand why you didn't tell me a while ago that you had no interest in dating me. It would have saved me a huge amount of humiliation." My cheeks flushed as I looked the other way into the cushion. I didn't want to look at him when he flat out rejected me.

Edward was silent for a second. "You think I don't want you?" he asked.

"What am I supposed to think?" I asked him. "I invited you into my apartment. I thought I was pretty clear with my intentions. But then you went and answered the phone like I hadn't just asked you to come with me to take our relationship to the next level. You ignored me. How am I supposed to not feel rejected?"

"Oh, Bella," he cooed. "Is that all?" His arm squeezed tighter around me and he chuckled into my ear. "You silly girl. I always want you. Always. I didn't know it was such a big deal or I wouldn't have answered my phone at all. It was just Esme. She wanted to know how everything was. It wasn't even an important call."

"But that look you gave me...."

"Was me saying I'm sorry but it might be a few minutes. It wasn't an 'I don't want you' look. I'm sorry there was a little miscommunication."

I turned around in his arms and looked up into his compassionate green eyes. "I overreacted a little, didn't I?" I asked. I flushed and buried my head into his chest. He laughed a little and I felt his lips press into the top of my head. "I'm sorry," I said. "I was stupid. I shouldn't have taken it all so seriously; I didn't mean to be such a drama queen. It's just hard, you know? We've had to deal with so much. I feel like I've hated you my whole life and now all the sudden here we are. We kind of skipped the whole 'friends' part of it and went straight into a relationship. It was this massive one-eighty and I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to deal with it.

"I know we're doing the best that we can but it still feels like everything we do is wrong. Should we tell people? Should we keep it a secret? I feel like keeping it a secret is the right thing to do, but at the same time does that mean I'm ashamed of us? Because I don't feel like I am. Should we have sex or would that be completely wrong? I don't know because we don't really talk about any of this. In my mind, our relationship thrives on unwritten rules and the avoidance of talking about anything that might start a fight because we're too afraid to go back to what we were before." I sighed. "I'm sorry. My mind's all scattered right now. Am I making any sense?"

He nodded slowly. "A little. I mean, I get what you're trying to say. I guess I didn't really notice it. I wasn't doing any of that consciously, but I should have noticed that you wanted to talk about all of this. But Bella, we're human. We're going to fight. Granted, our track record is a little bit worse than everyone else's, but I don't think that means we should completely avoid talking about things that might be upsetting you just so we don't fight. That's not fair to either of us." He smiled at me. "So which would you like to talk about first? The secret or the sex?"

"You make our relationship sound like a soap opera," I giggled. "Let's start with the first one. Do you think we should tell people? Besides Jacob, I mean."

"It's completely up to you. If I get you to myself for a little while longer, I'd be perfectly happy. If I get to make my public displays of affection a little more public, I'd be just as happy. I don't think you're ashamed of us, whether you're telling yourself that or not. It's just a matter of if we think the family's ready for… well, us."

My arms wove themselves around his neck and I pressed a kiss to his chest. "I don't really mind, either. I think, though, if we decide on telling people we should take it slow. I think it might be a little overwhelming to just make one big announcement."

"How about this," he started. "We can each tell one more person. From there, we'll see how it goes. If it comes out naturally, then so be it. If we just slowly tell everyone, then that's how it is. That way it's more of a natural way for it to come out and it's not so sudden. It's not like we can just walk up to them and be like 'Hey, we're dating. Surprise!'" He laughed. "That wouldn't go over well."

"No, it wouldn't. But I do like the telling one person. I think that would probably be the best."

"Okay," he said. "Then that's settled. Now." He looked down at me in all seriousness. "Let's talk sex." I'm sure my face was bright red, but it wasn't enough to get me to stop talking about it. But before I could say anything, he started. "I'm ready, you said you were ready, so I say let's go for it."

I laughed at his bluntness and looked at him. "You aren't worried about last time?"

"Bella, neither of us remember last time. How could there be something to live up to? As far as I'm concerned, it's practically a clean slate." He leaned down and kissed me quickly. "Don't worry about it."

I untangled myself from him and stood up, grabbing his hand so he stood up with me. As soon as he was standing, I squeezed his hand and led him back to my room. In our entire month or so of dating, he had never been in my room. There had been no reason to. But as soon as we stepped in and I shut the door behind us, he looked around curiously.

When he didn't say anything for a while, I began to grow a little self-conscious. I bit my lip and leaned back against the door as he wandered around, taking in the 'décor.' My room was a simple white with a plain blue bed set. There wasn't anything special to it. I had a little wooden desk in the corner that I used when I was paying bills and a matching cube-shaped box underneath that was filled to the brim with all the bills that needed to be paid this month. There was a closet that held all my clothes and a little dresser for the undergarments.

On top of the dresser were pictures of the group throughout the years: one was me and Alice when we were five years old on our first day of school; another was of all of us on Emmett and Rosalie's graduation day; there was one or two from college and one of me with Jacob on my first book tour when I was a junior.

The walls in my room were relatively blank with the exception of my high school and college diplomas and the framed first draft of the cover of my first book. There was a long mirror on another wall that had a thick black border. Next to my bed was a black nightstand. The book I was currently reading was perched gracefully on top next to a nearly empty bottle of water.

"So?" I asked, my voice breaking the drawn-out silence. "What do you think?"

Edward turned to look at me with a smug grin on his face. "What do I think? I think this room suits you perfectly."

I scoffed. "What, because it's boring like me?"

"No, pretty girl," he said as he came forward and draped his arms loosely around my waist. "It suits you because it's simplistic but has just the right amount of character to catch my attention." He leaned his face down and touched his forehead to mine. "You know, even though this is going to sound way worse than the way I intend it to come out, I'm really glad we got drunk and slept together."

A laugh burst out of my mouth before I could stop it. "You know what, Edward? I'm glad we had drunken sex, too."

"I'm glad because if we didn't, I wouldn't have known what I was missing this whole time. _And_ I wouldn't ever find out how amazing you were in bed. Sober."

I placed a hand over my heart. "Why, Mr. Masen, that's probably the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me," I teased. "And how do you know I'm amazing in bed? We haven't even slept together sober, yet. You probably shouldn't say anything until you know for sure. What if it turns out I'm horrible?"

He spun me around and started walking me backwards toward my bed. "Call it intuition," he said with a smirk. "Now shut up and let me do my work."

The back of my knees hit my mattress and he gently laid me down before hovering on top of me. His smell consumed me and I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips as I patiently awaited his first move.

He pressed a gentle kiss to my right cheek and then another to my left. His face hovered centimeters above mine as he placed light kisses all around my face: my two eyelids, my forehead, my chin, my nose. The only place it seemed he wasn't kissing was my mouth. When his lips moved from my nose and skimmed past my lips again, I lifted my face and caught my lips with his, unable to tolerate any more of his teasing.

Hell, we hadn't even gotten started yet and he was already driving me crazy.

Our lips moved slowly together, lazily, taking their time exploring the other's mouth as if it was some uncharted territory and we were claiming the land as our own. We stayed that way for a long time, simply kissing and doing nothing else. For the moment, it was just enough. It was perfect.

When he finally parted his lips from my own, I didn't want to let him go. I kissed my way from his mouth to his jaw to his neck, where I sucked gently on one piece of his skin. I wanted to mark him as my own. I wanted all the other girls to know that, even if we weren't completely public, he was taken and they couldn't have him. Edward Masen was mine.

"Bella," he gasped. "Mmm. Bella, I… uh… I need to move you so you're completely on the bed." I didn't care. I kept on going, effectively ignoring him but secretly enjoying the vibrations from his voice box on my lips. He chuckled. "Bella, baby, I need you to stop. Please."

I huffed and separated my mouth from his neck. He smiled down at me and I couldn't help but get rid of my pout. He was too cute. He seemed so happy that I couldn't help but be happy. He scooped me up like he was carrying a bride across the threshold and set me down so I was lying directly in the middle of my bed. He couldn't have measured it more perfectly if he wanted to. I watched quietly as he removed the tennis shoes that he had worn to and from the bowling alley and then peeled off my own socks and shoes. He was so gentle.

As soon as he finished, he crawled onto the bed and over me so he had one knee on each side of my waist. He spent a few more moments spending some quality time with my lips before his journey traveled down to my jaw and neck, and then progressed down to where my t-shirt met the top of my cleavage.

I hadn't noticed it, but sometime during then he had weaseled his hand underneath my shirt and had scooted it up towards my bra. He moved down so his face was over my stomach and he kissed his way up the new skin until he reached the bottom of my bra. I cursed myself for not wearing something sexier. I was just wearing a plain white bra and a pair of matching white boy shorts.

"Arms up," he demanded. I raised my arms above my head and he brought the shirt up, trailing his lips up my right arm as the shirt descended over my head. As soon as it was off, he dropped it onto the floor and took in the sight of me. Even though I still had a bra on, I felt a little exposed so I brought my hands down to cross over my chest. When he saw them start to move, he intertwined his fingers with my own and brought them back up to where they had been placed above my head. "You're beautiful," he told me. "Don't cover yourself."

I gulped and nodded. He continued.

He pressed a kiss on each bra strap and one simmering one on my lips before he moved down the bed to my jeans. Before I was exactly aware of what was happening, he had unbuttoned them and was dragging them ever so slowly down my legs. As with the rest of the clothing, he trailed the newly exposed skin with kisses until he reached the bottom and he dropped them off the bottom of the bed.

When he crawled back up, he met my lips with a searing hot kiss. His way of undressing me had made me feel worshipped, but this kiss made me feel sexy. It made me feel like he wanted me so badly he could hardly bear it. I brought my hands down and rested them on his shoulders before I brought them to the front of his chest and broke my lips away from his, silently asking permission.

Edward nodded and I didn't waste any time in pulling his shirt over his head. I had seen Edward shirtless more times than I could count; growing up with him, that's just what happened. But I had never seen him shirtless in this light before. He was beautiful.

Before I lost the courage, I brought my hands down to his pants and unbuckled his belt. My hands were definitely fumbling, though; I was nervous beyond nervous. I had no idea how he had stayed so calm before, because I was practically vibrating with nerves. After my third attempted fail to unbutton him, he calmly brought a hand down to my own and squeezed them, silently telling me he'd take care of it.

I felt so useless and exposed as I laid there and he unbuttoned his pants and tossed them off the bed. I wanted to take care of him the way he had taken care of me. But I couldn't get myself to calm down.

As if he had read my thoughts, Edward returned to me and kissed me chastely on the lips. "Take a few breaths, Bella. It's okay to be nervous, but I promise you you have nothing to be nervous about. You're amazing and I love that you're letting me take care of you for once. Just sit back and relax. I'll take it from here," he said.

I nodded, helpless. What was I supposed to say?

He reached an arm behind me and messed with my bra clasp until it came undone. The look of concentration on his face made me want to kiss him. So I did. He just looked so adorable as he tried to get it undone with one hand. He blushed a little when he caught me staring at him. I made a move to help him, but he stopped me.

"No, I've got this," he said again. Sure enough, a second later I felt the clasp give and my bra was just lightly resting on me. I let him pull it off me slowly and watched him drink in the sight of me. "God, Bella, you're so amazing," he said as my lips met with his in a hot, open-mouthed kiss. I felt his right hand trace up my side and cup my breast in his hand. I moaned.

"Bella," he panted as he littered kisses down my neck to my chest. "Bella, we might have to skip foreplay this time." He reached for my hand and brought it so I was cupping him. "Do you feel that? Do you feel how hard I am? I don't know how much more I can handle without combusting." I squeezed him through his boxers and he groaned loudly. "And I don't want to end up coming like a teenage boy when I get inside you."

"That's fine, Edward," I told him, stroking him lightly up and down.

He gently batted my hand away and pressed a kiss to each of my fingers. "You aren't helping he situation, I'm afraid."

I giggled and watched as he pulled my underwear down my legs. He lifted my left knee lightly and kissed his way up the inside of my leg. He pressed one more chaste kiss in the middle of my center before he sat up and all but tore his own boxers off. He hovered over me again, this time settling himself between my legs. I felt him, hard and pressing against my stomach as he kissed me.

"Do you have a condom with you?" he asked as he showered my neck with butterfly kisses. "I have one, but it's in my wallet in my jeans. And they're across the room."

"Top drawer," I muttered, pretty much lost in the sensations I was feeling.

He slipped the condom over himself and lined himself up with me before gently pushing in. The second his head was enveloped within me, he groaned and dropped into my neck. "God damn it, Bella. You're so damn tight," he grunted.

I bit my lip to keep the embarrassingly loud moans at bay, but he saw me. "Let go," he whispered as he pushed a little bit farther into me.

I gasped and kissed him fiercely as he fully immersed himself within me. He swallowed every one of my moans. His hips moved slowly at first, to get me used to him, I'm sure. But I wanted him to go faster. I was already so close. He had gotten me so worked up over practically nothing when he was simply taking my clothes off. This was heaven.

"Edward, faster."

He grunted, acknowledging my comment, and his hips sped up, thrusting faster. He brought one of his hands down and cusped my knee so it was right next to his shoulder. The angle he hit was so much deeper, so much better, that I nearly lost it.

"Edward," I said, practically out of breath already.

"I'm almost there," he said as he sped up fractionally.

I wasn't sure I could hold out any longer. "I can't… Edward," I moaned.

"Let go," he said again as he reached a hand between us and pressed my bundle of nerves.

I completely lost it. "Edward!" I gasped loudly, not caring that my neighbors could probably hear me. It felt too amazing. I was no novice to sex, but I had never had someone who had made me feel this good before. Never. He covered my lips with his own as he let me ride out my orgasm.

He was still moving in me when I lay there, exhausted. I wanted to get him off badly, though. "I'm so close," he muttered. I could feel him twitching inside me and I knew he had to be right on the brink.

I moaned into his ear, hoping to spur him on. "Edward," I said. "You feel so unbelievable. God, you're amazing." He let out a small groan and his hips sped up even more. I grasped onto his back and wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to pull him closer.

"Oh, god. Bella," he moaned. He twitched inside me again and his eyes rolled back into his head before he collapsed his head into the crook of my neck. We laid there for a while, absorbing what had just happened. I didn't know about him, but I knew that was by far the best I had ever had.

And then it struck me. All the memories from our drunken night came flooding back to me. We hadn't had sex at all. In fact, I quite clearly remember him falling asleep before we could do anything. I wanted to smack myself in the forehead. Of course. I should have known. I'd never, and I mean _never_ had sex that amazing before. I was speechless.

So we hadn't had sex. We just rounded second base and he passed out on top of me. I let out a short laugh as he pulled out of me and laid on the bed, grabbing my hand in his.

"Holy shit," I panted, both at the realization and at the astounding sex we just had.

"Holy shit is right." He opened his mouth as if he had something to say, but he hesitated. "We didn't have sex when we were drunk, did we?" he asked as he sat up on one elbow and looked down at me.

I shook my head. "It just came back to me. I felt like an amnesia patient and this triggered all the memories back. You fell asleep and we didn't make it that far. Or at least that's all that I remember now. If we did go further, my mind didn't register it at all. But it makes sense if you think about it. There was no used condom, my panties and your boxers were on when I woke up. Hell, I don't know why I didn't see it earlier."

"I definitely would have remembered the sex if it was that amazing," he said. "No matter how drunk I was, that was the best I've ever had, hands down. I'd have remembered. We didn't have sex. There's no possible way."

The room was silent as we both contemplated this. "Well I'm not sure whether to be relieved or a little upset that we went into that thinking it wasn't our first time together. Do you think it would have been any different if we had known?" I asked, moving closer to him and resting my head on his bare chest and my hand over his rapid heart.

"Absolutely not," he said adamantly as he wrapped an arm around me to bring me closer. "It was perfect. You're perfect."

I couldn't help but smile as my eyes drifted shut, perfectly content for the first time in I-couldn't-even-remember how long.

* * *

**A/N: **Yay for writing lemons at 4 o'clock in the morning. Haha. I think that's my most favorite lemon that I've ever written. I love it. :P

I'm lowering the amount of reviews from 1055 to **1035**. I forgot you wouldn't have as much time to review that last chapter as you normally would. :) So there you go. **1035 by tomorrow night.**

By the way, I forgot to mention it yesterday, I put a new poll up on our homepage concerning the amount of sex you'd like to see in Cursed. So go vote so I know what to write. :)

Not much else to say.

Love you,

Allie


	31. Birthdays & Best Sellers

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N: **Hey guys, sorry it's a week late. I worked past a tough point in my own story and actually was up until like three a couple nights writing. I doubled the number of words in my story. (Granted, it wasn't a lot. But still. I needed to finish my story by the end of June and I'm not done with Chapter 1 yet. Haha. Oops.)

So this is the third to last flashback for the entire story. :( Ben and I talked it over today and we have, at most, 15 chapters left including the epilogue. Three flashbacks, three changes in POVs (six total chapters), and then the climax which has no flashbacks and will be roughly 5 chapters long, and then the epilogue. Sad day. :( On another note, we hit 1000 reviews. Woo! :)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 29:** Birthdays & Best Sellers

_3 years ago_

The announcement came on a Friday. It was a phone call from Bella's then-publicist, Hannah. It was short, sweet, and to the point, much like Hannah herself.

Bella had been in her advanced creative writing class, coincidentally, when the call came. Professor Bordeaux was still her teacher, and she had become something like his star pupil. Really, she was incredibly embarrassed by the amount of attention. But she wasn't going to outwardly complain; she had an A in the class, and it had never even drifted close to even an A-. Not that she thought she might not get an A in the class without having published her first novel through him, but it certainly made it easier.

Edward wasn't having a difficult time, either. He may not have gotten signed to get his novel published, but Professor Bordeaux appreciated all of Edward's work. The only comment he ever had was 'Details, details, details,' written in thick red ink in his loopy, feminine writing at the top of his papers. Apparently, Edward didn't add enough minor details. He didn't add the personality traits that Professor Bordeaux said made the character come to life.

"You're already such a talented writer," Professor Bordeaux told Edward time after time. "But you would exceed the most stellar of writers if you could just add those minor, minor details. I'm only hard on you because I know you have potential."

Yeah, well Edward was sick of his 'potential.' He was trying to add more detail, but it just seemed superfluous. Maybe it was just in his own mind, but his characters always seemed to come alive, with or without little details. It wasn't that he thought Professor Bordeaux was wrong, he just wasn't sure what kind of details to add. And it was getting frustrating.

But it didn't matter, he told himself, because today was his 21st birthday. Alice had decided to throw a party for the two of them, and he was going to enjoy it, damn it. He was going to go out and get completely wasted. It wasn't like he had never drank before, but he had never been able to go out in public and do it. As soon as he finished class, he was going to go to a bar and have a couple of shots. It hopefully would give him just enough buzz to handle one of Alice's parties.

In the middle of class, Edward saw Bella pull her phone out and bolt out of the room. Professor Bordeaux gave her a quizzical look as she reached the door, but she simply mouthed 'my publicist' and he nodded his acquiescence. Edward wanted to know what was going on, but he pushed down his curiosity and went back to work.

The second Bella stepped out of the door she pressed the phone to her ear. "Hi, Hannah," she said.

"Bella, I'm glad you could answer. I've got some great news."

Bella smiled. "Yeah? What's that?"

"I just got a call from the New York Times, and they told me you made it onto their Best Seller List!" she exclaimed. "You made Number 4 on the Paperback Trade Fiction, and Number 2 on the Paperback Mass-Media Fiction."

Bella's jaw dropped open and she couldn't get her voice to work. She couldn't believe that _she_, Isabella Marie Swan, had made the New York Times Best Seller List. She loved her book, but she never thought once in her life that something like this could happen to her. She didn't think other people would like it as much as she did.

"Bella?" Hannah asked. "Are you there?"

"I—I… Oh my god," she sputtered. "Oh my god. Seriously?"

"Do you think I would lie to you about something like this? Of course I'm serious! Bella, congratulations! It'll be out in the paper on Sunday."

She still was having trouble forming complete sentences, but she managed to thank Hannah and hang up. She couldn't go back into class like this. She had such a big grin on her face she was sure she looked ridiculous. She couldn't wait to tell her parents. They were going to be here for Edward's birthday party anyway. She would tell them when she saw them before the party. She absolutely couldn't wait. They'd been so supportive of her since she got her first book published. They each owned a copy and insisted she sign it, as if she was some big celebrity and not just their daughter.

When she found her voice, she practically sprinted into the room to tell Professor Bordeaux.

She crashed through the door and ran to his desk. "Guess. What," she said. But she didn't let him say anything. She kept on going, ignoring him as he opened his mouth to comment on something as he looked down through his spectacles. He looked weird, looking down at her even though she was higher up than him. From the seat of his desk, his neck was anchored all the way back so he was able to look down at her. "My book made the New York Times Best Seller List," she said, holding back a squeal.

Professor Bordeaux stood straight up as if he was alarmed by something. "Oh, Isabella, that's amazing!" he said as he moved past her to the front of the class. "Class," he said as he clapped twice to gather their attention. "I've got an announcement to make," he started.

"Oh, Professor, please—" Bella tried to stop him.

He simply held up a hand in her face. A little taken aback, Bella shut up. "Miss Swan has just informed me of some excellent news. Her book has just been put on Sunday's Best Seller List," he beamed. The class clapped and Bella blushed, not expecting this much attention. She just wanted to tell him her good news. She didn't really want the whole class to know.

"You better get used to the attention," Professor Bordeaux told her as he watched her try to cover her face with her hands. "You're probably going to leave on a book tour as soon as school ends for the summer. People are going to want to hear you talk about your book and then they're going to line up for your autograph."

And even though Bella knew it was the truth, she didn't want to acknowledge it.

Edward sat back in his chair and folded his arms over her chest. He was surprised that he wasn't very angry about her getting onto the Best Seller List. As much as he wanted to hate her on the inside, he knew you had to have serious talent to get onto that list. He could respect that, even if he didn't like her very much.

He might even congratulate her later.

* * *

When Bella arrived at the party, it was already in full swing.

She was later than she had originally anticipated, unfortunately. She had been hoping to get there before the party had started to visit a little with her parents and tell them about the List. But she had gotten caught up in her newest novel and completely lost track of time. By the time she realized it, it was fifteen minutes after the party was supposed to start and she hadn't even gotten ready. She had quickly thrown on a cute shirt and some makeup and ran out the door, thankful that she only arrived an hour late.

She knocked on the door of Alice and Jasper's brand new house, not sure if she should just walk right in or not. Although Alice and Jasper weren't married yet, they had just bought this place for their future family. He had taken her all the way back to Forks for what she thought was his mom's birthday party, but instead he took her to the playground where they had first met. There had been kids on the field—it was a school day for them—but it didn't stop Jasper from getting down on one knee and asking her to marry him. There wasn't a long, drawn-out speech, Alice had told Bella when she returned, but it had Jasper written all over it. It was perfect for the two of them, as was their new house.

It was the typical suburban house in a nice neighborhood that was filled with kids. It was a good half-hour drive to the University, but they thought it was necessary. They didn't need to live in the dorms anymore. Those were usually just for freshman anyway. So they bought the stereotypical house for their future, complete with a white picket fence and everything. The house was practically built for them.

Edward answered the door a second later with a large glass of some sort of alcohol in his hand. "Isabella!" he shouted before he threw an arm around her and dragged her inside.

She looked up at him, beyond confused. "Edward?"

"Come in! Come in! Congrad—Congre—Congr_a_tulations!" he said with a laugh and a swig of whatever the drink was in his hand.

Bella ducked from underneath his arm. "I'll talk to you later," she said uncertainly. How much had he had to drink? She walked away from him and tried to find where her parents were. She recognized a few people from her dorm and gave a shy wave as she dodged around mazes of people. The party was a little unlike Alice's usual parties, in that there wasn't a major theme in the decorations. When she had told Bella about it earlier, she had mentioned that the 'theme' for the party was 'drinks.'

There was a full bar where their kitchen used to be, complete with a hired bartender and everything. Everyone was walking around with a different glass, each varied slightly so everyone knew which was theirs. The drinking age wasn't being very strictly enforced, if it was being enforced at all. Granted, no one at the party seemed under the age of twenty, so it wasn't a huge violation.

Before she found her parents, Bella made her way to the bar.

"What can I get for you, pretty girl?" the bartender asked as he finished making a drink for the guy next to her that she recognized from her and Edward's math class freshman year. She knew they had grown to be pretty good friends, and were now two of five guys sharing a rental house just down the street from the school.

She smiled at him before turning to the bartender. "Can I just get an Apple Martini please?"

"One Appletini coming right up." He gave Edward's housemate his drink and he held it up to Bella as if he was trying to say 'cheers.' He took a big swig and turned back to the party.

Bella watched, entertained, as the bartender made her drink. They always looked so graceful. She wished she had the ability to throw around those bottles without murdering someone. But she couldn't, and that was okay with her. She was content just watching them, specifically the bartender that had taken her order. He was really attractive. Maybe, if she got drunk enough, she'd get the balls to ask him for his number.

As if he had heard her thinking about him, he looked up and smiled. He had to be in his early twenties, obviously older than twenty-one. His muscles were built, but not too built. His shirt wasn't too loose, wasn't too tight, but was clingy enough to show off his muscular chest. Everything about him was like the baby bear in Goldilocks and the Three Bears: not too much of anything, not lacking anything, but just right.

"What's your name?" he asked as he placed an apple slice on the side of the green martini glass with a spiraled stem and handed it to me. He pulled a beer out from underneath the counter, popped off the top, and took a big swig as he leaned against the bar in front of her.

"Bella," she told him. "I grew up with the birthday twins." No need to explain their ongoing feud. "What's your name?"

"Sean," he said. "I'm the bartender for the birthday twins."

Bella laughed as she leaned forward so she could hear him over the loud music. "So I noticed. So you like bartending?" she asked him as she took a sip of her martini. It was really good. She had had some great martinis before, but this one was excellent. Sean obviously knew his way around the good alcohol. "This is excellent, by the way," she commented as she pointed to her glass.

"Why thank you. And yes, I love bartending. It's in my blood. My mom and dad met at a bar. She came in every Friday night for two months and requested that he make her drink, hoping he'd get up the nerve to give her his number. He never did, unfortunately. But she got tired of waiting and so she put her number on the napkin he had given her with her drink and slipped it in the top of her glass when she gave it back to him. He didn't pay close enough attention and he just threw it out." Bella laughed and took another sip of my martini. "She got so frustrated she stood up, yelled at him that if he didn't get off his ass and ask for her number, he'd lose her forever, and stormed out of the bar. He followed her and, after apologizing for being so dense, got her number. The rest is history," he said.

Bella smiled at him. But just as she opened her mouth to say something else, another one of the bartenders interrupted. "Sean," he barked. "You aren't getting paid to flirt with pretty girls. Get back to work."

Sean gave her a 'what can you do' shrug. "Sorry," he said.

"Not a problem. I'll come talk to you later?"

"I'd like that very much."

Bella smiled at him and waved gingerly as she took her martini and went to look for her parents. The alcohol had loosened up her slightly so she wasn't so nervous about telling them anymore. When she finally saw her parents talking to Esme in the little backyard, the anticipation in her chest grew as she amped herself up to tell them the great news.

"Mom! Dad!" she called.

The two adults turned to look over at their daughter. "Bella!" Renee called as she met her half way and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. It was rare that she got to see her daughter at all anymore. She was so far away at the University of Washington. It was a good three hour drive home and so she only came on major holidays. It was even more rare that Renee and Charlie could both make it down to see her. Her happiness was practically radiating from her chest.

"Hey, Mom," Bella said, just about as happy as her mom. She missed the friendship she had with her mom. Being so far away, they could only converse via telephone or email and that couldn't always convey the right emotion.

Bella let go of her mother and hugged her dad quickly. He had never really been one for serious affection. Bella had no doubt in her mind that he loved her, but he had always had a little trouble showing it. It was the small gestures that counted, though. And both Renee and Bella knew that. That was all that mattered to any of them.

"Guess what?" Bella said, having a little trouble containing her excitement. She couldn't wait to see their reactions.

"What?" Charlie asked, setting his beer down on a nearby table.

"I'm going to be on this week's New York Time's Best Seller List!" she blurted, unable to hold it back a second longer.

Renee looked like a proud mama bear. She placed her hands on her chest and practically cooed. "Oh, sweetie," she said. "I'm so proud of you." Renee pulled her daughter in for a tight hug. But just as Bella thought she would die of suffocation, Renee let go and put her hands on Bella's arms. "That's so exciting, baby." She kissed both of her cheeks and the top of her forehead before pulling back and taking a good look at her. "I always knew you'd end up going places."

Renee pulled back and Charlie immediately took her spot, wrapping both arms a little awkwardly around Bella. He wasn't one for affection, but he was confident that his daughter knew he meant every little bit of affection he showed her and more. He was so glad his daughter had the opportunity to do what she wanted to do with her life. He had been a little bit worried that she didn't know what she wanted to do with her life later. He knew she had some of Renee in her, but he was a little bit afraid that Bella wouldn't make up her mind, a lot like Renee had. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, and Charlie was guilty of the same thing, but he didn't want his daughter to be subjected to such tough decision making so late in life. But now that she had not only made the decision but become beyond successful, he couldn't be happier for her. He was so proud of Bella.

Bella could see Charlie's pride in his eyes, and she knew she didn't need any other sort of reassurance.

"You're so talented," he said quietly as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. Bella giggled a little as his mustache tickled her skin. When the two of them looked up, Renee was gone. They spotted her talking animatedly to Esme and Carlisle and gesturing over to where Bella was standing next to Charlie.

"You don't think she's telling them, do you?" Bella asked worriedly. She seriously hoped not.

Charlie laughed quietly as he put a hand on Bella's shoulder. "Have you met your mother? Of course that's exactly what she's doing. You shouldn't expect anything less. She's your mother and she's proud of you. She has the right to tell everyone."

Bella bit her lip. Usually, she wouldn't mind messing up Edward's party. In fact, she'd probably encourage it. But part of her felt bad. Not only was it also Alice's birthday, but Edward had gone out of his way to congratulate her when she answered the door. Granted, he was wasted, but for them, that was a pretty big step. Maybe they were all grown up now, and had grown past their fighting. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Bella thought it was a good thing, but she wasn't sure how they would act now. It had been a part of them for so long.

Before long, a small crowd had gathered around Bella and was congratulating her on her huge success. Bella was more than mortified, but she felt rude trying to get them to leave her alone. So she just shut her eyes and dealt with it, hoping that it would just be over quickly and they could go back to drinking.

Unfortunately, the excitement only seemed to grow from there. Sean made everyone at the party a round of shots and, before they could take them, stood up on top of the counter and held his up.

"To Bella," he said. "And the amazing news of her New York Times Best Seller."

"To Bella," the party of people chorused in unison before simultaneously throwing back their shots.

"To Bella," a voice projected prominently over the others. Bella cringed, knowing less than a millisecond after hearing his voice that it would be bad. "Whose book is far more important than Alice's and my birthday."

The majority of the people that were there hadn't grown up with Edward and therefore hadn't detected the sarcasm in his voice. They had laughed and tossed back another shot down their throats, thinking he was serious and assuming that he was okay with the fact that the party had changed from his birthday to her good news. Those that knew him well enough cringed. Esme made her way over, Alice trailing closely behind.

Bella was bright red. She grabbed Alice's arm as she passed and gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry, Alice," she said. "I never meant for this to happen. I just told Renee and Charlie, and then Renee ran off and started telling everyone. Can you forgive me?"

Alice smiled and put a hand on Bella's shoulder before pulling her into a tight hug. "There's nothing to forgive, Bella. It's not everyday one of us can say we made it to the Best Seller List. It deserves a celebration. Edward and I will have other birthdays." Alice gave her a quick peck on the cheek that easily said 'I love you but my brother needs me right now' and darted off after where Edward had disappeared.

Bella still felt horrible. She sat on a barstool and slumped her face into her hands. She had fucked everything up, and now Edward was going to be pissed at her. Again. _Just_ when she thought that they had maybe grown out of it. Of course not. At this rate, they never would.

"You look like you need a drink," Bella heard Sean's voice ring from above her. She peeked through her fingers at Sean and gave him a pathetic little smile as he handed her another Appletini and a white, square, bar napkin. "You shouldn't be upset," he told her as he leaned his forearms against the bar. "You just made the New York Times Best Seller List. You need to party, damn it." He slammed a fist down on the table and gave her a not-completely-serious stern look.

Bella sighed, but relented. Sean was right. She had earned her right to be happy. Yeah, it sucked that it had to happen on Edward's birthday, but what's done is done. It's not like she _chose_ to be informed of this good news on his birthday.

"Yeah," she said aloud. "You're right." She was firm in her decision. She was going to enjoy herself tonight, Edward be damned. She reached for her Appletini and couldn't help but smile when she picked up the napkin and saw Sean's neat, square handwriting. His phone number was written in black Sharpie with his name printed just above it.

Somewhere in the house, Edward was probably upset that Bella had accidentally stolen his thunder. But she hadn't done it on purpose, and he would figure that out when he sobered up tomorrow morning. Or at least, Bella hoped he would. But for now, she had a drink in one hand, a hot guy's number in the other, and she just found out her book made the Best Seller List.

She'd worry about the consequences tomorrow. Tonight, she was going to drink, celebrate, and kiss a cute bartender.

* * *

**A/N:** **1111 reviews equals an update Saturday. 1150 equals one on Saturday **_**and **_**Sunday.**

I never got a chance to thank you all for the bundles of stories you've sent. It was funny how a lot of you had the same suggestions. I think the two most popular were Bella Swan: Kidnapper, which I thoroughly enjoyed and was sad to see end, and Hydraulic Level 5. Honestly, Hydraulic Level 5 is probably the _best_ story I've ever read on fanfiction. If you haven't read it, please do so. Right now. It's amazing. Absolutely my favorite story.

I also decided that after every chapter, I'm going to ask you a random question. Just kind of a fun, random question that you can answer in a review, if you'd like. So today's question is as follows:

What was your favorite birthday party that you ever had (what did you do and how old were you?)

Love you.

Allie


	32. The Right Way

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** What's this? An early chapter? _Gasp_. Yep. I couldn't wait to get this out.

I loved hearing about your favorite birthday parties. :) Mine was my Sweet Sixteen. We rented a place on the last day of school, so it was simultaneously my birthday and the end of the year party. We rented a really nice place on the lake. There was dancing, food, a guitar hero tournament, the whole nine yards. It was semi-formal and a masquerade, so all 100 people had masks on. It was like My Super Sweet 16 (a stupid MTV show, for those who don't live in the US) except I got a hand-me-down '02 Jetta instead of a new Bentley and I wasn't a snobby bitch about the details.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 30:** The Right Way

**EPOV**

I was woken up by the sun peeking in from the window, landing straight on my face and turning the inside of my eyelids red. I groaned, but when the night came rushing back to me I immediately stopped.

Bella.

A smile graced my lips as I turned over and felt for her next to me. When my hand grasped nothing but empty sheets, I felt a weird sense of déjà vu. Where was she? This was _her_ house. It's not like she could have left to go anywhere. My brows furrowed in tired concentration as I tried to figure out where she was.

Last night had been perfect. Well, with the exception of her crying, of course. I didn't know answering my phone would have had such a profound impact on her. If that was the case, there was no way I would have even stepped foot inside my apartment. As much as we fought, I never liked to see her cry. It wasn't masculine to make a girl cry, ever. It just made me feel like shit. I think we needed to have a long talk. Obviously we both had trust issues, which was understandable provided our history. We had gone from absolute hatred to awkward relationship so quickly. How did we know the other wouldn't back out?

I didn't want to ruin the moment this morning, though, I thought to myself as I tried to will my body to stand up and go find her. We'd talk about it later. For now, I just wanted to know where she was.

A feminine giggle sounded from the foot of the bed and I cracked an eye open. There stood Bella in only my shirt from last night and a pair of panties, sporting glorious sex hair and a tray of food. I practically came in the bed sheets. This woman would be the death of me. Sex _and_ food? What more could a guy ask for?

She sat the tray of food on the table next to her bed and sat next to where I was laying on the bed. One of her hands ran lightly through my hair, causing me to groan and close my eyes. I was way too content.

"Wake up," she whispered playfully right next to my ear. She pressed a kiss to the lobe before taking it between her teeth gently. I shivered. She dragged them toward the edge of the lobe and as soon as they weren't touching anymore, she blew on it. Goosebumps shot up and down my arms at the contact of her hot breath on my cold skin. "I made breakfast," she sang. "Bacon and eggs and waffles and orange juice and milk and coffee. But you're going to have to get up if you want it.

"Huh-uh," I protested, stubbornly squeezing my eyes shut as I wrapped a clumsy arm around her waist. "You come back to bed. Breakfast later. Bella now." I tugged her down and she toppled over on top of me. I grinned and pulled her so she was cuddled up to my chest. She didn't struggle, as I expected. She simply wrapped her arm around me and ducked her head into my neck, pressing a chaste kiss there.

I reached up and lifted her chin so her lips were level with mine. "Good morning," I said as I brushed my lips against hers. She tasted like she had already brushed her teeth, but she had snuck a piece of bacon before bringing the food in here. I smiled against her lips and rolled us so she was lying on top of me.

She giggled and drew back, running a hand across my chin. "You've got morning beard," she said. "It tickles."

In response, I moved up and rubbed my cheek against hers. She laughed and tried to bat my face away. I pulled my face from hers and looked at her for a moment. "How completely opposed to morning sex are you?" I asked, my voice muffled as I trailed down her neck to a hickey that I must have left last night.

She grinned as she pressed her hips down on my morning wood. My head fell back into the pillow and I groaned embarrassingly loud. She giggled and moved down to attack my chest. I could feel myself growing almost painfully hard as she licked and nipped her way down. When she reached one of my nipples, she bit down and my hips bucked up. She kissed her way farther down to the little line of hair that disappeared underneath the sheets to my naked self. As she scooted her pelvis down to accommodate for the area she was covering, her hips brushed deliciously over mine and created the friction I couldn't wait for. My hands grasped the sheets so tightly between my fists that I was hoping they wouldn't tear.

I never had a chance the night before to put on my boxers, so Bella simply flung the sheet farther down my legs before settling herself comfortably between my knees. When she drew her tongue up the length of me, I thought I might pass out. The woman was skilled. I wanted to watch her, but her hair was in her face. I reached down and pulled it behind her shoulder so I could see her face.

Boy, was that a mistake. Not only was the feel of her mouth on me already driving me crazy, but the combination of that _and_ the sight of her plump pink lips around my head nearly made me lose it.

"Fuck, Bella," I managed to spit between my grinding teeth.

It was going to be embarrassing—she hadn't even put me completely in her mouth yet—but I wasn't going to last much longer.

"Bella, I—" I attempted to warn her. She nodded once before taking as much of me into her mouth as she could. The feeling of her tongue on me and her hand stroking what didn't fit was probably enough to send me over the edge, but the simple knowledge that she was going to swallow finished me off. I let out a long groan as I released into her mouth. She quickly swallowed as I collapsed into the bed, completely spent even though I hadn't even been up for a half hour yet. She crawled up and snuggled up next to me, throwing her arm around my waist.

I turned my head and kissed her gently. "You're amazing," I said. She started to deepen the kiss, but her phone rang from the nightstand. She groaned, irritated, but broke away from me. "No," I said, pulling her back to me. "I'm too selfish to share you. Ignore it."

"I can't," she said, crawling over me so she could reach her phone. "It might be important," she said as she lifted her phone to see who it was.

"I'm warning you," I growled, burying my face into her clothed cleavage.

She laughed and ran a hand over my head, but ignored me and flipped the phone open, pressing it to her ear. "Hello?" she said. I chuckled darkly before pouncing on top of her and making her squeal. "What?" she asked whoever was on the phone. "No, Alice, I just tripped a little," she lied. Bella glared fiercely at me, telling me to quit it.

I knew what I was dealing with. Yes, if I kept going, there was a chance Alice would hear and we'd be outed. But I figured that Alice would probably be the one that Bella told anyway, so what did it really matter?

I pushed Bella's—well, my—shirt until it was bunched up under her breasts. I kissed my way down her stomach and blew a raspberry just above her belly button. She laughed and tried to move my head away from her stomach by placing her hand on my cheek and pushing. I simply batted her hand and it disappeared.

"What?" she asked, shocked. She shot me a fiery look. "No, Alice, of course I don't have a guy here. That's ridiculous." She scoffed. "I am _not_ giggling like I just 'got some.' Shut up. What were you saying?"

I kissed my way up her stomach, over my shirt and up her neck until I reached the ear that didn't have the phone. "Get off the phone," I whispered. "We have breakfast to eat and it'll get cold if you keep talking. You wouldn't want that now, would you?" I ran my nose along the edge of her ear.

From where I was, I could hear Alice's voice pause in whatever she was saying and then step up about four notches. "Isabella Marie Swan!" she shrilled. "That was most definitely a man's voice I just heard. Who's there with you? Why aren't you telling me? Seriously, Bella, I thought we were friends! You have to tell me how this happened!"

Bella shoved me off her and I laughed. "I've got to go Al, I'll talk to you later," she said quickly, hanging up the phone before Alice could respond.

I reached just off the bed and grabbed my boxers, pulling them on and standing so I could grab the tray. I hoped I hadn't seriously upset Bella. I was just having some fun, and she seemed to enjoy it. I knew that after today, things would be different. We were both probably going to go tell our one person and then do something together tonight. Maybe, since we weren't trying to hide anything anymore, we might be able to go out on the town. That'd be a nice change.

As for whom I was going to tell, I would probably go to Jasper. Bella would be surprised that I wasn't going to tell Emmett, but the man had enough on his mind with Rosalie's pregnancy. Not to mention the fact that he couldn't keep a secret if he wanted to and if, after we each told our person, we decided we still wanted to keep a secret, there was no way Emmett would be able to do that.

So I was planning on either telling Jasper or my mom. I'd prefer to tell my mom, but I was pretty sure she'd run off and tell Renee… and my dad, and Charlie, and everyone else she knew. She might even be worse than Emmett. So it was settled, then. I'd tell Jasper.

Satisfied with my decision, I took my place back on the bed and set the tray in front of us. The food was still warm, but barely. Bella was sitting with her legs crossed underneath her and her arms folded across her chest, an angry pout on her face. I wanted to kiss her, she looked so cute. So I did.

"Aw, are you mad that I distracted you?" I asked playfully as I kissed her nose. She smiled even though she was still pretending to be mad at me. Instead of letting her answer, I picked up a piece of bacon and tapped it on her lips. Bella opened her mouth and I pressed the bacon in so she could take a bite. Her mouth wrapped around the strip and bit down. My mind traveled to extremely dirty places, thinking about what she had her lips wrapped around not too long ago. My dick stirred, but I tried to talk him down. I didn't want our entire relationship to be about sex.

"What'd Alice want?" I asked her as I fed her a bite of waffle.

She chewed for a moment before answering. "She wants me to come over today. She mentioned something about their neighbors coming over tonight and she needs some help cooking. You know how Alice is in the kitchen," she said with a laugh.

I lounged back in the bed and nursed one of the mugs of coffee. "Oh, yeah. Jasper mentioned that to me yesterday at the alley. He wants me to come over and help him move some furniture around. Apparently Alice keeps buying furniture and doesn't have places to put them, so she just jams them into random rooms. Jasper wants me to help him clean them out and get all the extra furniture into a storage unit or something." I took another sip of my coffee before setting it down so I could lay my head in her lap. "Wanna carpool?" I asked.

Bella hummed in the affirmative and started running her hand through my hair. Instantly, I relaxed and closed my eyes. I never told Bella why, exactly, it relaxed me. I was pretty sure that she just thought it was some weird tick, almost. The truth was, when I was little and I couldn't sleep or I had a nightmare, my mom—Elizabeth—would sit on my bed with me and brush her fingers over my scalp the exact same way Bella did. Not only was it nostalgic, but it always calmed me. No one else could do it like my mom, either. Not even Esme. But Bella could do it, and damn if I wasn't going to milk it for all it was worth.

"I need to get ready," she murmured after another few minutes of just cuddling. "Alice wants me over at one."

I huffed. "Fine." She laughed at me and leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead. I reached up and laced my fingers into her hair so I could move my mouth against hers for a moment.

"Seriously," she said against my lips. "I have to shower."

I let her go and she scooted out from under my head. As she walked towards the shower, she brought my top off over her head and tossed it back at me. I had been so entranced with her stripping in front of me, I nearly jumped a foot in the air when the shirt in me in the face. Grabbing it with one hand, I peeked over so I could watch her pull down her panties. She shook her hips to get them all the way down and shot a sexy look over her shoulder.

"So are you joining me or what?" she asked.

I don't think I could have gotten out of the bed any faster if someone paid me.

* * *

­­­When we arrived at Jasper and Alice's together, it was obvious Alice was a little surprised to see us here together.

"Oh," she said when she opened the door, her eyes widening slightly upon seeing the two of us on her doorstep. "Hey, guys." Her brow furrowed. "How'd you know you were both supposed to come today? We figured you guys would end up coming separately." She opened the door to let us into the house as both Bella and I cringed.

Shit. Busted. Blame it on the ridiculous amounts of endorphins that had been released within the last twenty-four hours, but my brain didn't seem to be functioning right. What were we supposed to say to her, if anything at all? I felt like I should have been worried, but Bella was more than likely going to have her 'one person' be Alice. So she'd find out in a few minutes anyway. Maybe it'd even just be a good transition into Bella's confession.

So instead of answering her, I just shrugged. "Jasper upstairs?" I asked, already heading for the stairs.

"Yeah," she called after me. I listened as Bella and Alice's voices drifted into the living room and then, presumably into the kitchen to work on the food. I couldn't help but smile. I was so, stupidly happy. I probably looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. I mean, sex always made me happy of sorts. I was a man; there was no way around that. But there was something about Bella that was really making me happy. Like extra happy. I didn't even know it could be this way. None of my other relationships had ever made me feel so… elated.

And maybe it was a little soon, especially with Bella, but my feelings were escalating quickly. There was no doubt in my mind that I was falling for her. I just didn't know how long it would be until I was completely whipped, as demeaning as that was to my masculinity. She already had me wrapped around her little finger. Bella had this crazy power over me and as scary as it was, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I actually really liked it.

I jumped the steps two at a time, more eager than ever to get to Jasper. I was really excited to be able to tell someone finally.

Jasper was sitting in their bonus room on their bright red couch with a beer in his hand, watching television. I laughed and he looked over his shoulder at me.

"You look like you've gotten far," I said.

He shrugged and patted the spot next to him on the couch. He was watching one of the Law & Orders—I couldn't tell whether it was SVU, CI, or just the regular. Either way, it was entertaining. We sat in silence for a while, but it didn't change the fact that I was more than anxious to tell him everything that was going on.

As if sensing my anxiety, Jasper reached over and muted the TV. He let out a deep breath. "Alright, what's up, man? You've obviously got something on your mind."

I smiled despite myself and decided to just dive right on into it. "Bella and I are together," I told him, unable to keep my voice as cool as I'd have liked. I would have loved to sound chill about the whole thing, but it may have ended up coming out a little more excited than I planned. But if Jasper noticed, he didn't say anything. He just sat quietly on the couch and took another sip of his beer. He nodded his head once, contemplating. I knew Bella was like a little sister to him, so he would probably be a little protective of her. But he had nothing to worry about. I was going to take the best care of her than I could.

But after he had been silent about a minute, I wasn't sure exactly what to make of it.

"Say something," I said nervously.

Jasper shrugged again and took another sip of his beer. "What am I supposed to say? It was pretty obvious, to be honest. Either that or you were secretly pining for each other and had yet to say anything. Maybe I was the only one that noticed, but your body language pretty much screamed 'we're secretly dating.'" He chuckled. "You always send each other these _looks_. I don't know what they are."

I furrowed my brow. "Really? Has anyone else said anything to you?"

"Nope," he said, shaking his head from side to side. "I'm probably the only one that noticed."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Can you just keep this a secret for a while?" I asked him. "We each decided to tell one person and see what happened from there. She's downstairs telling Alice as we speak. We're both a little wary about where this is headed, and we don't want to get everyone excited if something goes wrong, you know? Renee and my mom used to plan out our wedding when we were little. Esme's no better. Can you imagine what would happen if they found out we were together, but then something terrible happened and we weren't together anymore? They'd be even more crushed than we would."

"Are you planning on breaking up anytime soon?" he asked, his voice low. Ah, there was the protective side I had been anticipating. I figured that I'd have to deal with it from whoever I ended up telling, but I knew Jasper would at least be more subtle about it and just cut straight to the point.

"God, I hope not," I answered truthfully. "Jas, I really like her. It's insane. And it's not just about the sex, although that's pretty damn amazing, too."

He cringed and I chuckled. Jasper looked at me from the corner of his eye. "You're serious about this?" he asked.

"Absolutely."

"Good. Well I hope everything goes well and everyone finds out soon. You know, it'd probably be better if you told them flat out. They're going to find out sooner or later and it's going to be tougher for the both of you if they end up finding out through the grapevine than straight from the source. They might be a little hurt," he said, setting his beer down on one of the nearby tables and standing up.

I took this as my cue to get up and start moving the furniture with him.

"Well if you're happy and if she's happy, then I'm happy for you guys." He motioned to one of the couches and I walked to one side of it.

"Thanks, Jasper. God, it feels good to finally get that off my chest. I've wanted to tell someone for forever," I said as I started lifting the couch off the ground. "So where is this going? Just outside, or into a truck or something? I didn't see anything outside," I muttered. The couch was damn heavy. "And why didn't you ask Emmett to come over? You know he's like eighteen times stronger than me."

Jasper grunted with the effort to get it through the door. "Outside to the garden shed, for now. I cleared it out last night so we're going to use it as a storage room for a little while." He paused as we maneuvered around a corner. "And I didn't want to drag Emmett away from Rosalie. Apparently she's been something of a handful lately with all the cravings and such. She throws a fit if he leaves her side. But he doesn't mind. He's too whipped," Jasper laughed once, but it turned into another grunt as he tried to get a better grasp on the couch.

We were silent as we moved down the stairs, a little wary of the steps and the heavy piece of furniture between us. But as we entered the living room, Bella's voice floated out from the kitchen, stopping me dead in my tracks.

I had been assuming that she would be talking about me because of our relationship. But I wasn't expecting the words that came out of her mouth.

"Of course not, Alice," she said. A few pots banged around and something sizzled. "It's _Edward_. Sleeping with him was a mistake. Just because we slept together doesn't mean that I automatically love him. My feelings for him haven't changed at all. That would be pathetic." She let out a low laugh. "I still can't stand the sight of him." I heard the knife land in a perfect sequence on the board as she cut something up.

No, no, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening.

Whatever weight I had been holding of the couch dropped to the ground with a thud. I couldn't even feel the pain that shot through my foot when the couch landed on it. I felt like my heart had just been torn out of my chest. I absently rubbed a hand over where my heart was just to make sure there wasn't some sort of bloody gash there. But there wasn't; there was just my shirt. Even still, my chest throbbed. Just hearing those words shot straight through me. My breath caught in my chest and my eyes closed involuntarily.

Alice said something back to Bella, but I couldn't tell you what it was. It sounded muffled.

Bella must have wanted me to hear that. She had to have heard us coming down the stairs with the couch. There was no way she could have missed it. We had banged into the wall more times than I could count.

And yet there she was, talking about how much she still loathed me when I had just confessed to myself that I might be falling in love with her.

"Edward," Jasper's voice called out to me. It hardly registered.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, trying to hold myself together. I didn't want to show just exactly how much this was hurting me in front of Jasper. I already felt like a pussy. This wasn't making it any easier on me. I shook my head and looked past Jasper to the front door. I had to get out of here.

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I said quietly, urging my voice not to crack. It did anyway. I brushed by Jasper to the door and slammed it shut behind me.

The car couldn't pull out of the driveway fast enough.

* * *

**A/N: **Hmm, are we seeing a pattern here? Maybe a little lack of trust between our favorite couple? **1140 reviews equals another update on Sunday.**

What's the longest grudge you've ever held and why?

Allie


	33. Outed

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** I think I spoil you guys. Third update in a week? :)

My longest grudge was three years with my first boyfriend. He was my best friend first, so when we broke up I was a _teensy_ overdramatic, and we yelled at each other (over internet, of course. Shut up, I was young.) and didn't talk for three years until my friends dared me to dance with him at a community-wide dance. Haha. It was awkward beyond belief. And while I won't say we're friends, we don't hate each other either.

So we got 1135. That's pretty damn close. So here yah go. :) This chapter was inspired by my Fourth of July. It wasn't nearly as romantic as this (I wish… my 4th wasn't romantic at all, actually. Haha.) but watching the fireworks, I realized that it had like Super Potential. So here we go. :D

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 31:** Outed

**EPOV**

"Edward!" my aunt's voice rang in my ear the next morning.

"Hi, Esme," I said sleepily as I ran a hand over my face and settled back into my pillow. Her call had woken me up, but I didn't want to make her feel bad. So I did my best to keep my voice perky, despite the lack of sleep and serious depression that had made itself at home the second I walked out of Alice and Jasper's house the day before.

What she said hurt. A lot. And as much as I had wanted to go home and wallow, I knew I couldn't. She'd be there. Of course she would, she was always there. That was the one downside of being around her. Whenever I wanted her to be around, she was hard to find. For example, our first week or so of dating. She was so busy with her book and everything, we didn't see each other once. But the second I wanted alone time, there she was. I'd love to know who I had pissed off to get myself into that situation.

Nevertheless, I knew I couldn't go to my apartment after I left. So I drove. I just got on a freeway and drove north until I hit the Canadian border.

"Edward, dear? Are you there?" Esme's concerned voice asked.

I took a deep breath, hoping she couldn't hear it. I didn't want her to hear what was going on in my mind. "Yes, Esme, I'm sorry. What were you saying?" My eyes closed of their own volition as I tried to stay a little more focused on what she was trying to tell me instead of the flashes of the previous night echoing in my head.

"I was just saying that it's the Fourth of July today." It was? Oh. "Alice and Jasper invited everyone over. Alice said they just cleaned their entire house for some neighbors that came over last night, so it'd be easy. Plus, their whole neighborhood combines all their fireworks for one big show, so it's really nice. The Swans, Carlisle, and I are just a few minutes away from their house already. Can you come?"

I always loved the Fourth of July. I wasn't so much patriotic—not that I _wasn't_ patriotic—but that wasn't why I liked the holiday so much. I loved fireworks. We had learned about them briefly when I took chemistry in college, but I was just fascinated by them. I loved setting them off and the adrenaline rush of getting away as quickly as possible before it exploded into the air. And then the results were always so pretty. Forget the noise, the end was worth it.

But, chances were, Bella would be there.

I had ended up staying up north for a long time. I grabbed some dinner at a nearby Sonic and found a pub of sorts that had alcohol and billiards. It had been really empty, but I wasn't sure I should have expected much more; I had been in a really small town. I thought that shooting some pool would help me take my mind off her. I could focus on the angles and force and my mind wouldn't even have time to think about her. But no matter how many balls sunk into the pockets, I couldn't get myself to stop thinking about her.

My attitude towards her was inexcusable towards her growing up. I had a lot of time to myself while I waited for the alcohol to wear off so I could drive home, and I thought about a lot. I thought about how I treated her when we were kids, and how inexcusable it was. I thought about prom, and the nasty things I said to her the day after. I thought about my parents' death, and how she'd always been there for me when I needed her, despite my attitude before and after.

And finally, as I shot the eight ball into the corner pocket, it hit me. She had no reason to forgive me. None at all, actually. I thought we had both set aside our differences and put the past in the past, but we never actually had the conversation. So for all I knew, and apparently this was the situation, she still hated me.

That thought alone was enough to finish whatever sobering up I had left, and I headed straight home.

It was a long drive, but I arrived home around three in the morning. I had trudged down the hall, eager to get into my bed before I collapsed on the floor. But what I saw in front of my door had woken me up quickly. Bella was there, slumped against my door, fast asleep.

My heart had torn a little again upon seeing her, but it wasn't anything I hadn't been dealing with all day. I wondered how long she had been sitting there waiting for me. I hoped it hadn't been long. Part of me really hoped that Jasper and Alice had invited her to stay for dinner with their neighbors, and they had driven her home around midnight. At least then, it would have only been a few hours.

For a moment, I had contemplated leaving her there and just stepping over her into my apartment. She hated me anyway, what more could I do wrong? But the second it crossed my mind, it left again. I couldn't do that to her, no matter what she felt about me. Things had changed—for me, at least—and I wasn't about to revert back to the terrible way I treated her before.

Cautiously, I had walked past her and over to her door. I twisted the knob and pushed, praying it would be open. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that she had indeed left it unlocked.

With the door still open, I went back over to her and scooped one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. My eyes clenched shut for a moment, trying to ignore the tugging I felt in my chest. It didn't help any when she unconsciously threw her arms around my neck and snuggled her face into my chest.

My stomach was turning on itself, and I choked back a sob. I felt like a hormonal girl, but every time I touched her I was reminded of how amazing she was. How much I worshipped her. How I was still, despite everything she said about me, falling in love with her.

I lifted her and carried her gingerly over to her apartment and into her room, surprised that she stayed asleep through it all. I thought about helping her into her pajamas, but it seemed too weird now and I didn't want to risk her waking up and seeing me. I wasn't sure how I would have reacted. So instead, I pulled back her covers with my foot and set her down carefully before pulling the sheets up over her chest. I did my best not to think about everything that had happened in this room last night and this morning. It was too hard to be here and practically relive everything.

I had leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of her head, knowing that it was a good possibility that it'd be the last time I'd have the chance. But as I pulled away, she had reached an arm out in her sleep and grabbed my wrist.

"Edward," she had called, her voice filled with sleep. "Edward, don't go."

My heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces as I gently pried her hand from my wrist and set it back on the bed. I let out a long breath as I watched her grab the pillow—the one, I noticed hopefully, that I had slept on the night before—and pull it closer to her. She buried her face into the pillow and sighed, and suddenly I felt like a creepy Peeping Tom. I had to get out of there before I did something stupid, like crawl up next to her and wake her up by begging for her forgiveness. I had a feeling that probably wouldn't go over well.

So I had high-tailed it out of there and back into my own apartment, not having the energy to do anything more than pull off my jeans before falling onto my bed. I had been asleep before my head hit the pillow.

"Yeah," I said now, not even sure Esme was still on the other line. I didn't know how long it had been since she had last spoken. "I'll be there." Anything to see Bella, I silently added. Yes, she hated me. But that wouldn't stop me from wanting to see her.

"Are you alright, Edward?" she asked. "You're awfully quiet."

For a moment, I debated telling her. But Bella and I hadn't worked out, just as our greatest fears had surmised, so I wouldn't tell Esme. "I'm fine," I replied quietly. "Just a little tired."

"If you say so, sweetie. But you always know I'm here," she said.

"Thanks," I told her, even though we both knew I wouldn't take her up on that offer this time.

* * *

A few hours later, I was sitting in a plastic chair in Alice and Jasper's front lawn. I couldn't make myself go inside and face everything that had happened yesterday. I just wasn't ready yet. Bella wasn't here yet either, for which I was half thankful and half upset. I wanted to see her again, but I didn't think I was quite ready for that yet, either. The sun was just starting to go down, and fireworks could be heard from other neighborhoods.

"Edward," Jasper called as he came from inside the house. He had been busy barbecuing in the back, so I was fortunate enough not to see him. I didn't want his pity. I just wanted to talk to people that had no idea of my relationship with Bella. I'd be happier that way.

I took a deep breath and turned to look over my shoulder with a fake smile plastered on my face. The second he met my gaze I knew he could see right through me, but I didn't bother to try and correct myself. "Jasper," I greeted, turning back to face the cul-de-sac.

He plopped down in the chair next to me. "How're you doing?"

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "Fine," I said shortly, trying to end the conversation before it started.

Jasper was quiet for a minute. The tension in the air made it obvious that he had something he wanted to say to me, but didn't know how to say it. I didn't feel like encouraging him, so I ignored him and watched as a group of the neighborhood wives stood on the corner in their too-tight dresses, giggling and gossiping. That was what I didn't like about suburban life. It was too cliché for me.

"You should talk to her before you make any assumptions," he said, his voice quiet so no one around us could hear.

I couldn't help the scoff that escaped my throat. "What, because you know so much about our relationship?" I snapped. He was quiet, and I knew I had overstepped my boundaries. I let out a long breath and dropped my head into my hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just… It's been a long twenty-four hours."

His lips pursed and he nodded. "Talk to her." With that thought, he stood up and walked over to Alice, slinging his arm around her waist and pulling her to him for a long kiss. I looked back to the wives as they laughed over some juicy piece of gossip. As if on cue, all of their husbands met up with them and pulled them all away, giggling as they retreated into their respective yards and houses. Everyone seemed to be in love.

My eyes closed and I rested my head back on the chair. Maybe coming today was a bad idea.

The chair next to me creaked just a second before a soft feminine voice called my name. I opened my eyes and lazily turned my head to where Rosalie was sitting. She was in a blue summer dress that fit her wonderfully, showing the barely-there baby bump. If I remembered right, they had told us when she was at fourteen weeks, and it had been a little over a month since then. She probably wouldn't be showing much if she hadn't been so thin. She sipped a water bottle and looked at me.

"I'm not stupid, you know," she commented.

"What?" I asked, lifting my head up and glancing around us to make sure no one was listening, just in case she said what I thought she was going to say. "What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm pregnant, not blind. I see the way you and Bella look at each other. I'm not saying I know if anything's happened, but I know something changed after you two slept together." She took another sip from her water bottle and looked out over the neighborhood at the kids as they played on their bicycles. I felt a sense of nostalgia as I watched a few kids race their bikes up the street. "It was just a dynamic change at first, but within the last month or so it's been more serious, hasn't it?"

My lips twitched. "I don't know what you're talking about."

But as the words left my lips, Bella's car pulled up to the front of their house and parked. I watched from my seat as her profile laughed at something Jacob said. She tossed her head back, her soft, silky hair falling over her shoulder. The smile tugged on her cheek and squinted her eyes as she threw the car into park and climbed out of the driver's seat.

Her white summery dress reached her knees and made even her pale skin look a little darker. She had pulled her hair so it was half up and stuck a matching white ribbon in it. She looked amazing, as always. She didn't look sad, either, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. I was glad she was happy, but part of me was a little selfish and wanted her to feel bad about what happened the day before. I watched as she linked fingers with Jacob and the two of them marched over to Renee and Charlie, who promptly gave both of them hugs.

I wasn't even aware of the sigh I let out until it already passed.

"See?" Rosalie said.

Bella glanced over her shoulder, scanning the yard until her eyes settled on me. Our eyes locked for a few seconds, and her expression was pained. I didn't want her feeling bad for what she couldn't help but feel. Finally deciding I couldn't take anymore, I looked away and back to Rosalie. "What would it matter even if that was the case? She hates me. I heard her yesterday complaining about how our relationship meant nothing." I didn't even really care at this point that Rosalie knew. She wouldn't say anything. Even if she did, it would only be to Alice who already knew anyway. So what was the harm in telling her?

Rosalie looked past me to Bella. "I doubt that. I don't know what's going on between you two, but you might want to get it sorted out. And soon." She smiled and waved to that certain someone behind me. I didn't bother looking. "Like, soon as in now. She's headed over this way." Rosalie stood and grabbed her water, shooting me a smile. "Good luck," she sang.

The knowledge that Bella was headed this way sent me into a panic. I frantically searched my surroundings to see if there was somewhere I could escape to. I saw Esme and Carlisle standing towards the front of the yard, talking animatedly to a few of the older neighbors that lived on the street. Before I could even register what I was doing, I was up and headed towards them without looking back. I didn't want her to see me hesitate and find out I was doing this on purpose.

"Edward," Esme cooed, bringing her arm around my shoulder for a half-hug. "I'm so glad you could make it. This is George and his wife Julie. They've lived on this street since their kids were born. Now, their oldest is graduating from college. George, Julie, this is my nephew, Edward."

I held out my hand to them, hoping they didn't notice the nervous shaking. I was only hoping Bella wasn't behind me, waiting to talk to me. "It's nice to meet you," I managed.

The four of them eased into their previous conversation as if I wasn't there. Which I thought would be good, but it only made it easier for Bella to approach me, knowing that I wasn't actually engaged in whatever they were saying. She came up behind me and tapped my shoulder twice with a whispered "Can we talk?" into my ear. I shivered and my eyes closed, trying to deal with the pain that came with her close proximity.

"Now's not a good time," I told her sternly, pretending to pay attention to the conversation, although I was all-too aware of her presence right behind me. The scent of her wafted in through my nose and I tried not to relish in it. It was hard, but I forced myself to look like the conversation in front of me was incredibly important.

She tugged on my wrist. "Edward, we need to talk. Now."

This caught Esme's attention, and she smiled at me. "Go ahead, Edward. We'll catch up later."

My fists clenched, wanting nothing more than to disappear into the ground. But Bella ran her hand over my taut fingertips, relaxing them instantly. I fought the urge to groan in annoyance. She wasn't playing fair. She _knew_ she had that kind of power over me, and she _knew_ I didn't want it right now. That wasn't fair.

With my now unclenched fists, she took my hand and led me over to where I had been sitting not minutes before. Neither of us sat, though. Instead, we stood there staring at each other. I tried not to convey all the hurt she had done to me, but I knew it would be nearly impossible. Even still, I watched her face carefully. She looked as though she had something important to say to me, but didn't know what. I knew what she was going to say, too. It was over, she was sorry she led me on like that.

Finally accepting defeat, I slumped my shoulders. "Can you just get on with it?" I asked quietly.

"Get on with what?" she asked. "Edward, I know you heard me talking to Alice yesterday. Jasper pulled me aside and told me why you left. But you didn't give me a chance to explain anything, and—"

"And, what?" I asked, suddenly furious. She had way too much power over my emotions. I couldn't even help the fact that my voice was rising and there were people that could probably hear us. "And explain to me that the last month meant nothing to you? That you just felt bad for pathetic little me?" I laughed humorlessly.

She shook her head, angry. "Damn it, Edward, let me talk!" she fought. Her foot even stamped into the grass for effect.

"No," I said sternly. "No, you're going to listen to me first. God, Bella, I worked so fucking hard for you. I did everything I possibly could to make sure you were happy. I feel like I did everything I possibly could, and you know what? I was happy. I was so god damned happy it was sick." I ran a hand over my face. "When I walked down the stairs and heard you telling Alice how you still hated me and you still couldn't stand me, I couldn't understand why it hurt so much. But after a total of six hours of driving, I had time to think back on everything I've ever done.

"I've thought so hard over the past twenty-four hours that I thought my brain would explode. I wanted to figure out where I went wrong. Yes, I've treated you like shit since we were four. Yes, I was a horrible person that probably doesn't deserve your attention or your forgiveness. Yes, I made some huge mistakes. But god damn it, I love you, Bella. And that should be all that matters." If I said I didn't hear the few female gasps from around me, I'd be lying. But it didn't deter my speech.

"I know we've had some serious issues in the past, but I thought we could put everything behind us. But no, you couldn't do that. You still blame me for everything, even when I've completely given myself to you in every way possible. I'm completely yours emotionally, physically, everything. You're _it_ for me." I shook my head, disgusted with myself for giving into her so quickly. "I guess I'm just sorry that it isn't enough."

I turned around with the full intention of apologizing to Jasper and getting the hell out of there. But a tiny hand on my wrist pulled me back. Bella spun me around and, before I could say anything, she wrapped her arms around my neck and into my hair, pulling my face down to meet hers. She clashed her lips with my own and I groaned out of frustration that I was enjoying this so much. I was supposed to be mad at her.

But as her tongue flicked out to brush my lips, coherent thought left my mind. My arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her to me, throwing everything I had into the kiss. I needed her. It was almost scary, the way I was kissing her. My brows were furrowed in a mix of concentration and anger.

She pulled her body, if possible, closer so she was flush with my own. When her hips came in contact with mine, she moaned. And the moan completely broke my trance.

I pulled away from her and glared. "What was—"

She placed her hand over my mouth. "My turn," she said. "If you'd have listened to me or just stuck around for about fifteen seconds after you heard me say all that shit last night, you would have heard me tell Jasper that Alice wasn't the one I planned on telling. It was my mom," she said. "Alice was suspicious when she heard you on the phone yesterday morning and then we showed up together. She started asking questions, so I had to avoid them. Of course I didn't mean it. Edward, I was crying like two nights ago because I thought you didn't want me. How could you think that those things were true after all that? Do you really have that little faith in me?"

Immediately, I felt a wave of guilt wash through me. I shouldn't have been so quick to assume. "I'm sorry, Bella," I said, grabbing her hands in my own. "I just… I was falling so hard so fast. It scared me, especially when it came to you. I just figured you wouldn't fall as fast for me as I did for you." I looked down at the ground, a little embarrassed that I had admitted so much to her.

Her finger came up under my chin and forced me to look at her. "Edward, I love you, too. It's scary as hell, but I do." She leaned forward and punctuated her statement with a soft kiss. "We need to get past this. From now on, we both need to stop running. We have to promise each other that if one of us has a problem, we'll talk to the other immediately before making _any_ assumptions. I'm tired of fighting over misunderstandings."

I pulled her closer to me and buried my face in her hair, kissing her forehead. "Me, too," I told her. "It sounds stupid, but I was miserable without you, if even only for those few hours. God, Bella. I'm so in love with you."

She rose to meet her lips with mine, sealing our promise with the kiss.

When she pulled away a minute later, she glanced over my shoulder and giggled before hiding her blushing face in my neck. "We have an audience," she whispered.

I craned my neck around to find Esme, Carlisle, Renee, Charlie, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jacob watching us intently. It was obvious as to who had already known about everything. Renee, Jasper, Rosalie and Jacob were all smiling, happy that we weren't fighting anymore. And while Charlie and Emmett's mouths were hanging open in disbelief, Esme looked like she was so happy she was about to cry and Carlisle had his arm around her waist, comforting her and beaming at us.

"I guess we're outed," I whispered back to her. She placed a chaste kiss against my neck before grabbing my hand and facing the crew.

"Am I the only one that absolutely didn't see this coming?" Emmett asked as he glanced down the line. Bella laughed and I wrapped both my arms around her waist. I wasn't ready to let her out of my sight yet.

Alice moved forward and wrapped her arms around both of us. "I'm so happy for you guys. I had my suspicions, but I didn't know for sure until Edward stormed out last night that something serious was going on. You could deny it all you wanted, Bella, but you've always been a terrible liar. The more you said 'no,' the more I figured it was important."

Esme ran over to Renee and engulfed her in a hug. "Finally," I heard her breathe as she let go. "I'm just glad they don't absolutely hate each other. The fact that they love each other is more than I could ever even ask for." She turned to us. "I love you both, so much," she said.

"Please," I said with a laugh, "Please don't start planning a wedding yet. I know both of you, as well as my mother, wanted this to happen since the day we first met, but now that it's real please don't rush into it." I was partly kidding, but mostly serious. I was afraid that if they did end up rushing into everything, Bella and I would be forced together and it would end up a disaster. I'd ask Bella to marry me on my own time. For now, they just had to cool it.

They smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright, enough sappiness. It's getting dark. Edward, Emmett, Jacob, Charlie, and Carlisle, grab any fireworks you brought and meet me in the middle of the cul-de-sac in five minutes."

I smiled at him before turning to Bella. "I'll be back soon, okay? I'm going to go set it up and then set a few off, but I'll be back as soon as possible." I kissed her fully on the mouth, not leaving a doubt in her mind that I'd be coming back to her the second I was done. "I love you," I told her when I pulled away and pressed my forehead against hers.

"I love you, too," she said.

My lips met hers in one final kiss before I reluctantly pulled away and started walking towards my car, a ridiculously goofy smile on my lips. It was crazy that it didn't take anything at all for my mood to make a complete one-eighty. All it took was a little Bella, and I was one hundred percent better.

"Edward," a voice came from behind me. I slowed to a stop as Charlie caught up with me. I smiled at him as we fell into step with each other. "I've known you for a long time, kid. Twenty years, as a matter of fact. That's a hell of a long time."

I chuckled. "It is, sir."

"I know you're a good kid, but you haven't always been the kindest to Bella." I opened my mouth to interrupt, but he cut me off. "Now, now. There's no doubt in my mind that you love my daughter _now_. I actually feel stupid for not seeing it sooner, but you look at her like you would drop dead if she asked you to."

"I would," I told him, no hesitation in my mind.

"That's all I ask. Just treat her well, would you? I don't think I have to threaten you with the gun collection I've got back at the old house. You know I'll beat your ass if you ever hurt her," he said.

I couldn't help but laugh lightly. I knew he was dead serious, but I would never hurt Bella. Not intentionally, anyway. She meant too much to me. "You don't have to worry about that, Charlie. That's the one area I'm completely confident in. I can't guarantee you we won't ever fight, but I will never intentionally hurt her. She means too much to me to even risk that," I told him.

He nodded and held out his hand to shake, which I gladly took. "Welcome to the family," he said, a smile curling from under his mustache.

* * *

The fireworks were amazing so far, and we weren't even half of the way done. Between all the men in the neighborhood, we must have had a couple thousand dollars worth of fireworks, and not just the lame ones. These were quality.

Jacob had the best fireworks from his connections on the Res, but he didn't like lighting them. So he pretty much had just brought them over and dumped them in our pile before going back and joining the girls. None of us minded, really. He got some really expensive stuff for no price at all. We'd happily light them for him if he didn't want to.

I took my lighter and lit one of my larger series just as Emmett and one of the neighbors lit a few smaller ones. As soon as the fuses were lit, we all sprinted back into a safe area to watch. I sighed as the fireworks lit up the sky with loud pops and bangs. This one had been one of our better combinations of the night.

We had been working pretty hard to coordinate everything, but since we had such a variety, it had been pretty difficult. A few times there had either been too much going on or not enough. This one had a perfect balance, and Emmett and I bumped knuckles.

As I watched the display, my favorite pair of arms wrapped around my waist and a kiss was pressed between my shoulder blades. "Are you done yet?" Bella's voice asked softly. "I miss you." I brought her around in front of me and pulled her back to my chest so she could watch the fireworks. Emmett watched our exchange and answered me before I could ask the question.

"Go," he said. "I'll worry about your other fireworks."

"Thanks, man." I grabbed Bella's hand and lead her back to the blanket and pillows that she had been wrapped up in earlier. I laid my head back on the comfortable pillow and wrapped an arm around her waist. She easily cuddled up to me and placed her head on my chest so she had a good view of everything going on in the sky above us.

"I love you," she whispered before turning her head and kissing my chest.

My arm squeezed her tighter to me and I kissed her forehead. "I love you, too, Bella."

* * *

**A/N:** It's actually five thirty in the morning right now. I haven't gone to sleep yet. Haha. This chapter just like took over my life today. Over 6,000 words, thankyouverymuch. I had a really hard time starting it (and actually started over about eight times before I finally settled on one that I liked), and then I wanted to get Edward's speech perfect. I hope you guys liked it, because my dog is pissed that I haven't turned off my bedroom lights yet. Haha. He can't sleep. :( Oh, well. It was worth it. I love this chapter more than I thought possible, with its faulty start.

**1210 reviews equals a double update on Tuesday.**

What's your favorite holiday? (And why, of course.)

Allie


	34. Graduation Day

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Your responses to the last chapter were funny. So many of them were like "I'm glad they're together, but I know shit's about to go down with the books, so I'm not expecting much." Haha. Keep in mind, there's still a good six chapters before we find anything out about the books. But no worries, the next 6 are all fluff. Woo. Oh, and to everyone that was worried about my sleep—don't worry. Haha. I'm a bit of an insomniac.

My favorite holiday is either Christmas (which was definitely the most popular answer) or the Fourth of July (if you couldn't tell by that last chapter). I love fireworks. :D

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 30:** Graduation Day

_2 years ago_

Bella stood in front of the mirror and watched as she gave herself a bittersweet smile.

Even though her black gown was unflattering, she couldn't help but beam with pride at the silk purple sash around her neck that signified her status on honor roll. She reached up and touched her cap, playing with the gold tassel on the top. The outfit was as ugly as any graduation's, it didn't hinder Bella's feelings about the day.

She was graduating from college with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and she couldn't have been happier with her decision. She was right in the middle of writing her next book, and her editor was sure that it'd be another Best Seller. Bella couldn't wait to get it out to the public. This one was a little smuttier than the last, but she didn't care. If anything, she liked it even more. Now that she knew what to expect, things were coming easier and she knew what should and shouldn't be written.

It was hard to believe that she was already graduating from college. It seemed like just yesterday she was having her first day of preschool, and now she was already done? Bella shook her head and watched as her reflection copied her.

If she knew her mother at all, Renee was more than likely in the main room of the apartment that Bella and Alice shared, sobbing dramatically because her baby was growing up so fast, and where did the time go? Bella smiled into the mirror as she imagined Esme trying to soothe her even the slightest bit. But she probably knew it was a lost cause.

Although Esme was rather emotional as well. She claimed that she could be as emotional as she wanted, because she had to be emotional for herself _and_ Elizabeth, since she couldn't be there to cry over her two graduates.

Edward was graduating with the same degree Bella was, of course. He had just published his first book and they had gotten the news the week before that his book had hit Number One on the Best Seller List, a feat that even Bella had yet to accomplish. Despite their ongoing feud, Bella realized that he had earned some respect after not only making the Best Seller List, but making it all the way to the top. Bella made it to Number Two, but there had been a new book by a more well-known author during the same time, and he had taken the Number One spot. It would have been stupid for Bella to be bitter, though. She knew it was pretty damn amazing to make it onto the Best Seller List at all, let alone Number Two.

Bella's door slammed open and Alice came rushing in, her too-long gown swooshing around her and a hand placed over her cap so it wouldn't fall off in her rush.

Alice hadn't changed much in all of Bella's years of knowing her. She was still tiny, and her bright eyes were always vibrant with whatever emotion she was feeling. At this point, Bella could read Alice like a book. And right now, her eyes were filled with a sort of panic that Bella was sure had something to do with the upcoming ceremony.

"Bella!" she gushed, running to Bella's side. "Bella." She stopped in front of the mirror. "Bella, look." She reached down and pulled up a piece of her gown, showing it to her as if there was something on it that she should have seen.

Bella furrowed her brows and squinted a little, trying to see what the deal was with the gown. "Uhm. What?" she asked, moving her head closer to the section of gown that Alice was holding. Even still, there was nothing out of place. It was just the regular black fabric that Bella's gown was made from, too. "I'm sorry, Alice, I don't see anything."

Alice grunted and shook the gown at her, as if that would help her to see it. Bella just shook her head again and shrugged.

"It's _wrinkled_!" Alice said, attempting to slam the fabric back to the ground. It was rather ineffective and it just flowed slowly back down to the ground. Bella still didn't see the wrinkle, though. It just looked normal.

"Seriously, Alice. I don't see anything." Bella looked back up into the mirror and sighed. "Can you believe we're graduating today?" she asked, fingering the tassel again. She didn't really care much about Alice and her nonexistent wrinkle. She didn't care so much about the day being perfect, she just couldn't wait to finally get to the ceremony. She was excited to finally be done with school.

Alice huffed, finally aware that she probably wasn't going to get any sort of help out of Bella. She traipsed into the corner of Bella's room where she saw the iron on. She hoped it would still be at least a little hot so it wouldn't take long to flatten that damn wrinkle. She hit the button to heat it up again and pulled her gown over her head, revealing the bight blue halter dress that she had planned on wearing to the dinner that they were all going to afterwards.

"Yeah," she muttered as she fixed her gown so the wrinkle was flat on the ironing board. She licked her finger and pressed it lightly against the metal part so she could see if it was ready or not. When it started to sizzle, she internally thanked Bella for saving her ironing for last minute.

"Are you even listening to me?" Bella asked, throwing her hands on her hips.

"What? Of course," Alice assured her, focusing intently on her gown as she ironed out the wrinkle. She silently hoped Bella wouldn't ask her what she had said before.

Bella sighed and walked over to her bed, collapsing on her back. She ignored her cap when it fell back on her bed. "I'm serious. This is _college_. And we're completely done, you know? I don't feel like I've done enough to warrant my own graduation. I feel like I just graduated high school." Bella smiled as she recalled her last four years.

Alice gasped as she rushed over to Bella, ushering her into a sitting position and fixing the curls in the back of her head and bobby pinning the cap back into her hair. Bella didn't even really seem to notice as Alice tried to pamper her until she looked how she had not too long ago. She snorted at Bella's comment and stood back to admire her handy work. "You feel like you haven't done enough 'to warrant your graduation'? Bella, you've already had a book on the Best Seller List and you're twenty-two. Not many people can say that," she chuckled quietly. "Although some of us _have_ gone farther than others."

Bella clucked her tongue. "Alice, Edward and I are exceptions to the norm," she soothed. It wasn't unlike Alice to give her a hard time about her Best Seller.

Alice's eyes narrowed. "Thanks, but I actually was talking about everyone _but_ you and Edward." Bella furrowed her brows and blushed, embarrassed that she sort of came off as cocky. "Not everything is about our careers. How about the fact that everyone except for you two has grown up and past their childhood feuds?"

A darker blush covered Bella's cheeks. "It's hard to explain, Alice, I—"

"'You just don't get along,' I know." Alice smirked. "I've heard it before, and I'm sure this isn't the last time I'll here it either. Even still. Don't you guys think that it's time you grew up a little? I know I'm not just speaking for myself when I say that everyone thought that you two would get over this by now. It's like you said earlier: we're graduating _college_. You and Edward haven't grown up much, have you?"

Bella glared at Alice before standing up and walking back towards the mirror. "Please leave it alone today, Alice. I don't want to deal with it. I've got a wonderful boyfriend and an amazing family that wants to see me graduate today. And that's what I'm going to do. Okay?"

Alice shrugged and raised her eyebrows, clearly stating that she didn't approve, but knew there was nothing else she could do to convince Bella otherwise. The two girls left the room and returned back to their living room, where Renee, Esme, Jasper, and Bella's boyfriend William were sitting with their coffees. When the girls emerged, they stood.

Immediately upon seeing Bella and Alice, both Renee and Esme brought their hands to their throats and gasped their tears back. Even though Alice wasn't Esme's biological daughter, she felt like she had done the best she could in the last eight years. And she was damn proud of her niece no matter what. She rushed over to Alice's side and enveloped her in her arms.

"Oh, Alice," she gushed. "Your mother and father would be so proud of you."

Alice bit her lip, trying to keep the tears at bay. She didn't want to ruin her makeup, but Esme seemed to know exactly what to say at the exact right time. "Thank you so much, Esme," she whispered, tightening her arms around Esme. "I'm so glad you're here."

Bella kissed her mom on the cheek before moving over to William and wrapping her arms around his neck. He looked through his glasses down at her with a tight smile. Bella and William had met at the library when they had both been there late one night. He was in the middle of finishing up his law degree and he'd be graduating law school within the next two years. Sure, he was a little proper and stiff, but Bella was sure she could loosen him up sooner or later. It was just a matter of when.

It had been a while since Bella had had a decent man in her life. She had dated Sean, the bartender that she met at Edward and Alice's twenty-first birthday party, for a good six months. But things ended on good terms when Sean found out that his dad, who had moved to Ireland when he retired, became seriously ill. Just from dating Sean in that short amount of time, Bella knew how much his family meant to him. She completely understood when Sean decided to pack up his things and move to Ireland, at least until his dad got better. They had tried the long distance thing for a few weeks, but it just wasn't the same.

Things ended amicably, and they still spoke every so often. Bella had been upset at first, but it was nothing she couldn't fix with some chocolate and a few martinis with Alice and Rosalie. It wasn't a few months later that she ran into William in the library, and after some casual dating she asked him if he'd like to be her boyfriend. He acquiesced and they'd been dating for almost three months now.

Bella leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss against his lips. She took a step back and wiped off the lipstick that had transferred from her lips to his.

"Congratulations, Isabella," he said formally.

Bella pursed her lips and took another step back. "Thank you, William," she said, brushing a hand over her gown and soothing out the wrinkles.

Alice and Jasper were locked in a tight embrace, lost in each others' eyes, for lack of a better cliché. Bella could hear him whispering to her, but couldn't make out exactly what he was saying to her. Bella had always been envious of Alice and Jasper's love. She always wished she could find someone that she could fall in love with that deeply.

She sighed and glanced at William out of the corner of her eye. But things didn't seem to be working that way.

"We should get going," Renee stated with a smile, placing a gentle hand on her daughter's back. Bella smiled, grateful for her mother's presence. She always seemed to know when Bella needed something. Bella wasn't sure Renee knew how grateful she was for that.

* * *

­­­Graduation was a blur to all three graduates. Edward had been jittery the entire day before he walked. He was even a little afraid he'd trip and fall flat on his face as he went to receive his degree. But he watched as Alice Cullen practically skipped up to get her degree.

Edward was aware of the minor controversy that had gone with Alice's name. Officially, she was Mary Alice Masen Cullen, but the college wasn't sure whether she wanted Masen to be part of her middle name, or part of her last name. They had called her in a tizzy, frantic as to know where she should be sat in the line. Should she be with the 'M's or with the 'C's? Honestly, Edward didn't see what the big deal was. But he guessed there were so many things that needed to be taken care of with the graduation that the smallest things were probably the ones that set them off the most.

Alice ended up going under the 'C's, just because it was what Emmett had done at his graduation. That, and there wasn't a hyphen between the names. If there had been it would have been a different story. But Cullen had been her last name for a while. What was the point in changing that now?

Edward was the next in the crew, and if someone had asked him the happenings of finally collecting his degree, he wouldn't have been able to recount it. It was way too much for him to take in all at once. He was vaguely aware of everyone gathering and a lot of pictures being taken: him with Esme and Carlisle, him with Alice, and him and his recent girlfriend Yasmine, the Spanish exchange student. He might have even been in one with both Bella and Alice, but not without some minor protests.

Renee had called in early at a nearby restaurant and reserved a table for twelve. The table was bustling with energy and conversations. Edward's arm was draped lightly over Yasmine's chair. She wasn't his most amazing girlfriend, he'd admit, but she wasn't the worst, either. She was a junior at UW, majoring in communications. She wasn't slutty, but they had had sex on their second date.

There was no doubt about the fact that Yasmine was beautiful. She had beautifully tanned skin and darker hair to match. She was exotic, and that's what had drawn Edward in towards the beginning. But honestly, she wasn't the brightest light on the tree. She was a bit of an airhead, and Edward wasn't sure how much longer he'd be willing to put up with it.

"So William," Charlie said as he took a piece of one of the loaves of bread that had been placed in the middle of the table to tide everyone over until their dinners came. "How's life treating you as a law student?"

Bella beamed, proud that this was one thing she could brag about over Edward's girlfriend. Yasmine may have the better looks of the two, but William had the brains. There was no doubt about it. But he _could_ get annoying when he got started on his education. Bella would just have to be a little cautious. A little bragging never hurt anyone.

"Excellent," William stated. "I adore law school so much. You know, ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My mom used to tell the story that when I was little, I would take my dad's briefcase—because, you see, he was a lawyer, too—and carry it around and question people endlessly. Apparently, I just had a knack for it. You know how some people are just destined to do something with their lives? Well I was born to be a lawyer."

"What, you were born a coldhearted bloodsucker?" Edward chuckled. William opened his mouth to protest, but Edward started talking before he got anything out. "What were you telling me the other day about being offered a modeling job, babe? Didn't some hotshot agent come ask you for your number?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "That's called a booty call. That wasn't an agent, that's a pimp." Bella grabbed William's hand and squeezed it as she looked to her father. "You know, William was not only valedictorian for his graduating class, but he got a 174 on his LSATs. He could practically choose whatever law school he wanted to go to."

"Why didn't he go to someplace like Harvard, then?" Edward asked. Again, William opened his mouth to respond but Edward kept talking. "Did you know Yasmine was on the cover of a magazine back in Spain? It's like the _Cosmo_ of her country. How cool is that?" Edward said, not even bothering to pretend that he was talking to someone other than Bella at the table. It was set. The two were already in the middle of a competition, and there would be no way for them to leave without a selected winner.

"_Cosmo_ or _Cosmo Girl_?" Bella snapped. "That's not even that impressive when you consider everything that William's going to be able to do as soon as he finishes college. He's going to be raking in the cash."

"Yeah, well—"

"Edward! Bella!" Carlisle scolded, standing.

"That's enough, you two," Renee spat. "You guys are graduating from _college_. There's _no_ need to be fighting anymore. We all thought you'd grow out of it by now, but obviously you two can't grow up for two seconds to realize that something needs to be done." Bella had heard almost the exact conversation from Alice earlier, but she listened anyway. "You two have been so busy fighting, you didn't even realize that both of your dates slipped away. I don't even know where they went, though I wouldn't blame them if they left. You guys were acting like two year olds."

Edward cursed under his breath and stood up to go find Yasmine. She was sensitive, and he knew it. But if he found her and she was crying, he'd probably just end up ending things. He was done with her anyway.

When Edward left the table, Bella stood. She should probably go find William before he got angry with her for acting so immature. Renee had been right, they weren't acting their age. And there was nothing that William hated more than immaturity. Bella wasn't even sure she liked him so much anymore. Maybe it'd just be best if they ended things.

She left the room that they had been placed in and quickly caught up to Edward. They didn't say anything to each other, though. What would they have said? Apologizing was never a factor with the two of them. It was like an unwritten rule that it didn't happen. Ever. They were only even next to each other so they could team up and find their significant others.

They turned a corner to go check the bathrooms when they found them.

There, against the wall that separated the men's bathroom from the women's bathroom, was Yasmine. And pressed up against her in a hot lip lock was none other than William himself. They were so absorbed in their own world that they didn't even notice when Bella and Edward appeared there.

"Well, I guess that solves that mystery," Edward mumbled.

Bella shrugged, oddly at ease with Edward. "Saves me a breakup."

Edward laughed lightly. "You, too?"

"You have no idea," she said in a quiet voice. "Ah, well. We might as well let them be." She wasn't upset too much that he was with Yasmine, but she was slightly upset that she hadn't gotten a chance to do it first. But she couldn't help but be happy that he found someone that helped him loosen up.

"Glad that's over," Edward said as the two graduates turned around and headed back to the table.

And for the first time, Bella couldn't help but agree.

* * *

**A/N:** It's short, I know, but I wasn't feeling this chapter. **1300 reviews equals an update Friday.** And you'll want it. I promise. :)

I just found out that _Cursed_ has a forum on Twilighted. :) So first of all, thanks to **brittany0388** for starting it (even though it was a while back—sorry!), and you should all go over there and visit it. To be honest, I'm actually not one hundred percent sure how this all works, so if someone could PM me and explain what I'm supposed to do? Er. Thanks. The link's on our webpage. (Not the blog.)

Favorite childhood memory?

Allie


	35. Bliss

**Disclaimer: **We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** I'm updating a day early because I'm going to a concert tomorrow night and I wanted you to get your chapter. :) This is only the first half. This and the next chapter were supposed to be one, but the lemon in the beginning of the chapter kind of took over. Haha. So sorry if you don't like lemons. Skip to after the break if you don't, but I won't lie: you're missing out. ;)

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 33:** Bliss

**BPOV**

"Will you shut the fuck up?" I shouted, itching to grab something and throw it at his face. I opted instead to clench my fists and storm back into my room. He was being unreasonable. Completely and totally unreasonable. Unfortunately, said unreasonable bastard beat me to the door before I could get out. I folded my arms across my chest and pursed my lips. "Move, Edward."

He shook his head. "Stop being so stubborn and listen to me. If you'd shut up for two seconds, you'd know that I'm actually making sense."

I threw my hands up in the air. "Well then _please_, Edward. Go right ahead and grace me with your _sage_ advice." I knew the sarcasm wouldn't be lost on him. He could be really dumb, but he wasn't dense. He could read me like a book. Edward scoffed at my tone and I wanted to punch him for acting so immature. But before he could say anything to me, I cut him off. "She's my _mother_, Edward. The last like eight times she's been in town she hasn't spent more than a few hours with me at most. It's only fair that I offer her my couch to sleep on. I'm her daughter. Not even to mention the fact that she's arriving day after tomorrow. I can't tell her to book a hotel now. That'd be stupid."

"You want Renee to be here when I sleep over for two weeks? Or are you just going to leave her on the couch when you sleep over here?" His eyes were burning with anger as he stared me down, not willing to make the first move to back away from the fight.

My eyes narrowed. "Maybe you just won't sleep over." I flashed my eyebrows upward once, testing him. Edward and I had pretty much spent every night together since the Fourth of July. Half my clothes were at his place, while half his were at mine. At first, we hadn't been sure how we'd choose whose apartment we'd sleep in, but it hadn't been a problem for long. Edward decided to start keeping a coin on him at all times. It made everything easier. Every night before we fell asleep, he'd pull the coin from his pocket and look at me with a ridiculous smirk on his face.

"Call it," he'd say as he flipped the coin into the air.

"Heads" would always be my reply, and we both knew it, but he still gave me the option to choose every night. It had landed on tails last night, so we were in Edward's apartment now, but not without my intent to leave. Soon.

His eyes unconsciously softened slightly and I knew I had won. He didn't think he had given up yet, though, and he kept trying to fight. "Fine, we'll see how well you sleep without me." Like that would help his argument, like, at all. He slept less than I did before we started sharing a bed. But I'd let him think whatever he wanted for a few minutes.

"Alright," I said, "Then let me leave. I have to call my mom and tell her she can stay in my apartment before she books a hotel."

I had called his bluff and we both knew it. He let out a frustrated breath as he brushed past me, picking up the remote that was lying on top of the couch and chucking it across the room where it hit the wall with a loud bang. I jumped, and the soft thud that followed as the remote hit the carpeted ground seemed almost ashamed of how loud it had been. I watched Edward storm angrily into his room and slam his door shut like a teenager.

This was my favorite part of our fights, I thought with a smile.

A took a step forward and made my way to his door, wondering if he had cooled off enough yet. I had just raised my fist to knock when it swung open and, without any warning, he dove forward and pinned me against the wall. His lips were rough and hard against mine, the anger still very much prevalent in his kiss. I tried to keep from smiling, but it was hard. He was sexiest when he was pissed.

I twisted my arms around his neck and pulled myself even closer to him. His hands weaved around and placed themselves firmly on my backside, grinding our hips together. He was incredibly hard, and a shiver shook through my body as he pressed himself harder into my stomach.

Nothing was said. The room was quiet with the exception of our respective pants and the occasional groan. He moved his right hand down the back of my thigh and hitched it around his waist. We had tried this before, and it hadn't worked. Lifting me up around his waist wasn't as easy as my romance novels made it seem. Even though I wasn't big by any means, it took a lot of coordination on both of our parts and that was something neither of us had in the heat of the moment.

He pressed me further into the wall so I had something to balance on and cupped his hand around my ass again so I had stability and didn't just fall straight to the ground. Even still, I was hesitant. But I'd give it a go, because it'd be really hot for him to carry me to his bed. Especially when he was mad like this.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling into his demanding lips, I tightened my arms around his neck and boosted my other leg around his waist. Or, at least, I tried to. Again, it didn't work. At least this time, instead of falling into a tangled heap onto the ground, we landed with an ounce of grace on the ground, me on top of him. He didn't like the fact that I'd have more power over him, though, and he flipped me around so he was hovering over me. Except he wasn't hovering as much as he was grinding and pressing me into the floor.

"Bed?" I tried to ask, but his mouth was smothering mine in such a way that I could hardly breathe, let alone speak.

He shook his head as his lips traveled, sucking and biting hard as he moved down my neck to the collar of my shirt. I was suddenly glad I had just worn a ratty t-shirt and not something I was attached to, because he latched his fingers onto one of the little holes that had formed in the shirt over the years and tore it down the center. He didn't even bother pulling it over my arms. I bit my lip and arched my back as he nibbled his way up my stomach. He pushed the cups of my bra out of the way, too rushed to completely take it off.

His lips attached themselves to my right breast. He was anything but gentle. I was sure his teeth were leaving marks on my pale skin, but I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to look. I'd check tomorrow.

I tried to fumble with his shirt, but he slapped my hands away before I could make any progress. Edward broke away and tore his shirt over his head, tossing it somewhere on the side. The look on his face made me squirm, trying as hard as I could to get my jeans to rub up against me so I could get _some_ form of relief. His brows were furrowed and his nostrils were flared, both in concentration and fury. I could practically see the coals angrily simmering in his mind.

When he reached down to unbutton his pants, I got tired of waiting. I slid a hand underneath my jeans and watched him as I ran a finger across my clit. I let out a long exhale and tossed my head back onto the carpet, not caring in the slightest that my hair would be a mess whenever we finished. I had needed some sort of relief, and this felt way too good to stop.

But before I could even get anywhere, my hand was torn from my jeans. When I looked at him, confused, he was even angrier than before. _Yes_.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked as he unbuttoned my jeans and pulled both them and my panties down to my ankles in one swift tug. Taking them off would take too long.

My mouth opened to respond, but I hadn't gotten one word out when he suddenly opened my knees and shoved himself into me. Whatever I was about to say vanished completely from my mind, leaving no trace of what I was even thinking of. I started making some embarrassing noises as he started pounding away like there was no way he could be stopped.

I reached my hands out behind me, trying to find something that I could hold onto. My back, even though my shirt was still somewhat covering it, was getting some serious rug burn where it had ridden up. I found the two side legs of the hallway table and tried to hold onto it, but he was thrusting too hard. The table banged twice against the wall before completely falling over, luckily away from us and not on top of us.

Edward was burying his face into my neck, finding his favorite spot and sucking harder than he ever had before. I could _feel_ the blood rushing towards that one spot.

My hands tried to grasp at something—anything—else, but all I was coming up with was carpet. Immediately, Edward reached up and wove his fingers in between mine, holding on to me as I was holding on to him.

Edward shifted somehow. I couldn't exactly see what he did, but I felt all the difference. Whatever he just did, I wanted him to do it again the next time we did this. It felt amazing. So amazing, curses started flying out of my mouth left and right. I'd probably end up laughing at myself later for my sailor's mouth, but I didn't care at that very moment. All I knew was that I wanted him to hit that spot again. And again and again and again until I couldn't breathe anymore.

"Fuck, Edward, _yes_," I moaned, my back arching and my chest pressing to his. "Shit, Edward! Right there. Yeah." I was panting, having trouble forming a coherent sentence.

"Yeah?" he asked cockily, moving his hips again so he hit the same spot. I couldn't stop my eyes from shutting and rolling into the back of my head. "You like that?" I groaned and did what I could to open my eyes again. I wanted to see him. He was looking down at me, a menacing grin on his face. I wanted to smack it off him, but I couldn't move.

At that point, I was about two seconds away from coming. "Edward, I'm—_fuck, yes_—Edward I'm... I'm...."

"Come, Bella," he said, his voice husky and demanding in my ear. "_Now_."

And I did. Hard. I would have even if he told me not to; I couldn't control it. I wasn't sure I had ever come that hard in my _life_. He was a god in my eyes just then. My muscles contracted over him and it felt like they wouldn't stop. With each thrust, it seemed like I would just come that much more. By the time I was finished, I couldn't move a muscle. Not even if I wanted to. And I felt bad, because Edward hadn't come yet. But by the sound of things, he didn't sound too far off. His breath was coming in short, quick pants that were blowing the hair around that wasn't matted down with sweat.

And with a long groan, I felt him release into me. And a few seconds later, he was pretty much dead weight.

I loved Edward, but not enough to suffocate myself with his weight. With every once of energy I had, I weakly pressed on his shoulder, hoping he'd get the hint and roll over. He did, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm securely around me and pulled me a little closer, weaving our legs together.

I was the first to break the silence. "I'm sorry," I said. "I want Renee to stay in my apartment. But she's understanding. If we want time alone together, we can come here. I don't want to spend the night here while she's here, but that doesn't mean we can't be together through the whole two weeks." He didn't say anything, so I continued. "Will you move in with me… for two weeks?" I asked.

Finally, he laughed. He wrapped the other arm around me and held me closer. "Alright. But you have to promise that if I'm horny, we'll come back here."

I rolled my eyes and kissed his cheek with a short laugh. "Probably not every time. But when we can, yes." He smiled and kissed the top of my head. As I started falling asleep right there in the middle of the hallway, Edward moved to sit up. "What are you doing?" I murmured.

He reached into his pants and pulled out the quarter. "Heads or tails?" he asked.

"Heads," I responded without a second thought.

He flipped the coin and caught it before flipping it over onto the back of his hand. "Tails it is." He sighed and lay back down, pulling me to him again. "Which is good, because I don't know if I want to carry you over to your apartment right now. I kind of just want to sleep."

"Hmm," I responded, already half asleep.

* * *

I awoke to a nose running its length along my chin and I smiled and leaned back into his embrace. "Morning," I mumbled sleepily. Our legs were a tangled mess of limbs and sheets, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to extract both of them in even a slightly graceful manner. Instead, I simply ran my toes across his calf lightly. He shivered behind me, but didn't move. I continued the motion with my toes as I settled myself closer to him and rested my head on the pillow we were sharing. When had we moved from the hallway?

"Morning to you, too, my love," he said quietly into my ear. I wondered how long he had been up. He didn't have many trace of sleep in his voice, but I couldn't imagine him detangling himself without waking me. Ever since the Fourth, we had spent a majority of our time together. Of course, Alice and Rosalie often took some of my time, especially when it came to things like preparing the baby shower, which was to happen in a little over two months' time.

Rosalie was rounding her seventh month, and she already seemed ready to pop. Because of her thin frame before the pregnancy, her stomach seemed to grow straight out. She was one of the cutest pregnant women I had ever seen. Unfortunately, it was only until she opened her mouth. The bigger _she_ got, the bigger her attitude got. It was getting hard to be around her, but it's not like there was anything I could do about it.

Things had been nothing short of amazing since the Fourth of July. I think I had vastly underestimated how much easier things would be after we told everyone. It was infinitely better. I don't think I realized how many repressed feelings I had until I was finally able to let them go. Wherever. I. Wanted. I think everyone else was getting sick of it, Rosalie especially. She kept making comments about how we needed to keep it in our pants before her overactive stomach made her puke. We didn't really stop, though. Her morning sickness had been over for months.

I groaned sleepily and placed my arm over the one he had thrown over me, twining our fingers together. I turned my head so I could see him a little.

"How long have you been up?" I asked quietly.

He nuzzled his face into my neck and I closed my eyes at the sensation. "Not long. Maybe an hour at most." I opened my mouth to disagree with him—an hour was most certainly a long time—but he cut me off. "No, no. Don't fuss, it was fine. I like being here when you sleep."

I rolled my eyes, smiling nevertheless. "You're so corny," I said.

He pinched my sides and I squealed, trying to wiggle out of his embrace. "You love it," he said.

I hummed. "I love _you_."

"Who's being corny now?" he teased. I blushed and buried my face into the pillow. "I love you, too," he said softly, brushing a stray piece of hair behind my ear. With a grace I knew I didn't possess, he swiftly detangled his legs from the mess and helped me to turn and face him. He pressed a soft kiss to my lips and tucked my head under his chin.

"When did you move us?" I asked him.

"Mmm. Sometime in the middle of the night. You were also only in your ripped shirt and half-on bra, so I threw a pair of underwear on you and one of my old shirts. Hope you don't mind. I didn't think you'd be comfortable."

I glanced down and noticed that I was wearing a shirt from some old club that he had been in during high school at some point or another. It was old and faded, so I couldn't exactly tell what club it was, but I had seen him wear the huge black t-shirt before. I knew 'MASEN' was written in large white letters across the back. I couldn't help the silly grin that came to my face when I remembered that little detail.

"I need to shower," I mumbled. "But my muscles don't want me to get up."

He didn't say anything, but I could practically hear the smug grin on his face. I didn't even need to look at him. "Oh, shut up," I said, laughing lightly.

Thankfully, before he could go on about his sexual prowess, a knock sounded at Edward's front door. "Can you get that?" he asked. "I need to put on some clothes. At least you're halfway decent. I'm just in boxers. And knowing my luck, it's probably Craig. I'd definitely _not_ like a repeat of the damn flour and sugar, you know?"

I laughed and stood up slowly, trying to get my muscles used to working again. They were beyond tired after our night last night. I padded my way to the front door and looked through the peephole, smiling when I saw Alice. I flung it open and she immediately hugged me before stepping back.

"Ew," she said, crinkling her nose. "You smell like my brother and sex. Do you know how weird that is?"

Edward appeared behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist before he pressed a soft kiss on my shoulder. "What would you like, Alice?" he asked.

She walked in past both of us and sat down on Edward's couch before turning on the TV. I smiled at Edward and shook my head at his sister's antics. "What would I like?" she asked. "Well first, I'd love for one or both of you to take a shower. Not only do you both smell like sex, you look like it too. Not funny when we're talking about my twin brother and my best friend." Edward kissed me on the cheek and pulled me down onto his lap in the chair he sat in next to the couch. "I'd also love a ham sandwich, if you've got all the fixings. But the reason I'm here is because I want to know if you two would be up for going out to dinner and then a nice walk or something at Alki with Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and I."

I looked up at Edward, who nodded in confirmation. "Sure," I said. "But we've got to be home relatively early. I have to wake up early tomorrow morning. I'm meeting my mom for coffee."

Alice's face lit up. "Oh, yay," she said, clapping her hands together once under her chin. "I didn't know Renee would be here. Can I come?"

"Of course, she'd love to see you."

"Oh, good. Now, Edward. Go shower so I can talk to Bella alone."

He sighed dramatically and held on to me tighter. "No," he said stubbornly. "Never." I couldn't help but smile, but it didn't change the fact that he probably should go. I looked over my shoulder and kissed him chastely, silently telling him to leave us girls alone. He gave me an adorable pout, but started to get up anyway. "Fine, fine. But I want more lip action when I get back. None of this closed mouth stuff, alright?"

I giggled and nodded as he shifted me so I was the one on the chair and he was standing up.

"You two sicken me," Alice said. "Jesus, you've been dating like three months and you still make me gag with every ridiculously corny comment that comes out of your mouth. Shouldn't the honeymoon stage be over by now?" she asked.

"Never!" Edward called over his shoulder as he disappeared into his room.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Seriously. Is he always like this?"

"Only after a particularly good night of sex. It's his post-coital glow. I like it, to be honest. We've never had a fight the morning after good sex. It's a lovely little break." I smiled when she gagged. "Seriously, Alice. You can't ask questions like that about your brother and then not expect an answer like that. You asked."

"Ugh. I know, I know. But it's hard to pretend it's not my brother. I just have to tell myself that you're talking about some guy that you just really, really like." We heard the shower start to run, and both of us instinctually turned our heads toward his door for a second before turning back. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the fact that _you_, Isabella Marie Swan, are voluntarily dating _my brother_, Edward Anthony Masen, her arch enemy for as long as I can remember."

I just shrugged. "Get used to it, darling. It's not going away anytime soon." I smiled as I rested back in my chair. Because it was the truth. He wasn't going anywhere, and I wasn't going anywhere. I loved him, and that wasn't a 'kind of' thing.

And now I couldn't wait until he got out of the shower. I think I wanted that lip action as much as he did.

* * *

**A/N:** 1345 reviews equals an update Friday.

**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ.** Alright, I've gotten a few comments regarding my promises of updating with reviews. A couple times, I haven't updated when you guys get the number of reviews that I suggest to get a quicker update. I want to explain why because I'm sick of getting anonymous reviews that get mad at me for it. There're usually three reasons why this will happen: One (the most common) is that you'll get the number of reviews, but you won't get it in enough time for me to write a whole chapter. For example, if I said 1000 reviews gets a Friday update. You _do_ get the 1000 reviews, but it's _on_ the Friday at like 5 in the afternoon. This isn't enough time for me to write a quality chapter in that short amount of time. Reason two is that something comes up. Believe it or not, people, my life doesn't revolve around fanfiction. I do the best that I can to update at least once a week, but sometimes that isn't possible. I sincerely apologize for these times, and I'd hope you'd understand that. The last reason is that there's no inspiration. For example, the last chapter. I had zero inspiration to write that chapter. At all. And that's why it sucked so seriously and it took a week and a half to get it out. Every once in a while that happens but I'd prefer you get a good chapter late than a bad chapter on time. Alright? So enough getting mad at me. I do the best that I can. I'm only human, alright? Thank you.

Most romantic thing anyone's ever done for you? (Or what's something that you think would be terribly romantic?)

Allie


	36. Bliss Part II

**Disclaimer:** We are not Stephenie Meyer and therefore are not the rightful owners of the Twilight series or anything within it. Silly. :)

**A/N:** Hey guys. Sorry it's late. We've been having a serious heat wave in Washington (it got to 114 degrees in my neighborhood and 90 on the top floor of my house—inside—where I live today. Not fun), and my parents' room is the only one with AC so that's where I have to sleep in order to not suffocate from the heat, so I couldn't write at night like I normally do. Sorry. :( But here it is anyway.

* * *

**Cursed  
By cALLIEfornia BENches**

**Chapter 34:** Bliss Part II

**BPOV**

The conversation between Alice and I was easy, as it always had been. The last few months had pretty much been dedicated to getting my strenuous relationship with Edward off the ground, and I felt like I had been neglecting my time with them. Now, whenever I saw them, it was about the baby or some sort of family function. It was never just for fun.

Talk of my relationship with Edward had pretty much come to a screeching halt when she asked what had happened to my neck, and then pointed to the surprisingly large hickey he had left the night before. My face had turned bright red, and it was probably the only time that our conversation had any sort of awkward pause.

I hardly even noticed when Edward came back all fresh and clean and lifted me up so I could sit on his lap again. He was quiet as Alice and I spoke, letting us catch up on our girl talk, which I appreciated. Though at times it was hard to concentrate when he got distracted and started pressing his lips wherever he could reach, his favorite place being the large purple spot visible just above the collar of his shirt that I had yet to change out of.

"Stop," I chastised lightly as he flicked his tongue once over the bruise. I pushed his face away from me and he growled.

"Yes. Please, stop," Alice said. "You're making me vomit in my mouth a little." She paused. "No, scratch that. You're making me vomit in my mouth _a lot_. And unless you want to personally clean up the barf, I suggest you stop. I understand that you're pretty much attached to her this morning, but can we hold off on the PDA for a little while?"

He huffed and sat back in the chair, defeated. "Fine," he said.

"As I was saying," Alice said with a fierce glare to her brother, "Jasper and I had a long talk and we decided that we were probably going to be ready to have kids in a little over a year. I'm ready now, but Jasper wants it to be just us for a little while longer before we have a little one. I think he's afraid it'll take a strain on our relationship."

"That's silly. You guys are 'Alice and Jasper.' You always have been and always will be."

Alice laughed. "I know that and he knows that. Personally, I think a kid will bring us closer. But I don't mind waiting a year. I'm in no rush to get it all done, you know? I'm ready whenever he's ready."

"I'm so happy for you guys," I said, leaning back when Edward put his arms around my waist. "Are you excited?"

Alice leaned so she was settled on the arm of the couch before she said anything. "Yes and no. Am I excited to get pregnant and finally have a little person who'll be the perfect combination of Jasper and me? Yes, I'm so excited I could take a lap around your apartment building." I laughed because, knowing Alice, she would. "But I don't want to get myself too pumped up yet, you know? Because I've still got a year to prepare. And I think too much excitement will be bad in the long run."

I nodded. I had thought it was weird when my best friends started getting married. But that was no where near as weird as knowing that they were all ready to start having kids. I was twenty-four; I wasn't ready to have kids. I knew the thought made _me_ a little uncomfortable, and by the way Edward was squirming beneath me, I could tell he was uncomfortable, too. But what unmarried guy wouldn't get antsy at the talk of children? Not to say I never wanted kids, but I definitely didn't want them while I was still this young. Then again, what fun would going out on a Friday night be if all my friends were at home with their kids?

I think Alice could pick up on the awkwardness that had made itself at home in the room. She immediately stood up. "Well, I should probably get going. You two have… love-birdy things to do."

Edward stood, effectively standing me along with him, and we walked her to the door. She hugged us both goodbye and kissed our cheeks before tossing a wave over her shoulder as she made her way towards the elevators.

Edward closed the door and shot me a devilish grin. "You heard her," she said. "We should probably get on with those 'love-birdy' things before we have to go meet all them." He took a step towards me and I took a step back in response. And another, and another until he had me backed up against the couch. But just as he pressed into me for what I knew would be some form of a heated kiss, I whimpered.

"Ow," I said quietly as a short pain shot from my lower back upon contact from the couch.

His brow furrowed and he immediately stepped away. "Did I hurt you?" he asked. But before I could say anything, he spun me around and got down on his knees. He lifted up the shirt I was wearing gingerly over the small of my back.

He took in a sharp breath before he started laughing. "Oh, god," he said. "Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry."

"What?" I tried to turn my head around and see, but it was useless. I walked to the hallway mirror and lifted the bottom of my shirt so I could see what he was laughing at. Sure enough, there was a large and rather nasty rug burn at the base of my back from the night before. I had felt it when I got it, but I never thought it would look as bad as it did.

It was a large welt, maybe the size of my own hand. It was angry, red, and looked a lot worse than it really was.

"Jesus, Edward, what did you do to me?" I laughed as I poked at the new scab. It only hurt when it was directly receiving the pressure, but it didn't change the fact that I wouldn't be able to wear a bikini for a while. Unfortunately, that was horribly inconvenient since we were going to Alki today. Maybe I could get away with wearing a t-shirt or something. I hadn't even seen anything else under the shirt. There was bound to be more somewhere.

Having completely forgotten that Edward was even in the room, I started walking back to his bedroom and pulled his shirt over my head. It didn't even completely occur to me that I was only wearing a pair of underwear underneath. I just wanted to see what I looked like.

The long mirror in Edward's room was rarely used. I had an inkling that it was something that Alice had gotten for him either at his old place or as a housewarming gift. It wasn't something Edward would use; it hung on the back of the door like an impatient kid holding onto the shoulders of their father. It was a little pathetic, but it'd get its use eventually.

Like now, for instance.

I stood in front of the mirror and examined my skin. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Aside from the rug burn and the ridiculous hickey on my neck, there were only a couple small hickeys—one just above my right breast and the other on my left shoulder—and another minor rug burn on the back of my shoulder.

"Not bad, Masen," I muttered as he appeared behind me in the mirror.

He placed his hands gingerly on my hips and kissed the spot on my neck as he grinned. "That one's my favorite one," he said, his lips hot against my neck. I leaned my head to the side so he could have more access and his hands slid their way up to cup my breasts. His fingers massaged the skin gently and I moaned, relaxing fully against his body.

"Mmm," I groaned with a sigh. "You're going to need to stop that if we're ever going to start getting ready." He simultaneously nipped my neck and ran his fingers over my nipples, forcing me to let out this terribly embarrassing mewl-like sound. "Or finish," I mumbled.

"Oh, I plan on finishing," he said with a smug grin. "You will, too."

I groaned again, but it was more in annoyance now than pleasure. "Edward, please."

"What do you want, Bella?" he asked seductively, too lost in lust to realize that I wasn't really into it anymore.

My hand made my way to my mouth, trying to hold back the chuckles. "Edward," I told him in a sexy voice, trying to lure him on. "Oh, Edward, do you know what I want?" I bit my lip to try and keep from noticing my shaking shoulders as his lips traveled from my neck to the tops of my shoulder before moving up to my jaw. I shivered from the feel of it, but it didn't change how I felt. I was too sore and we didn't have enough time.

"Tell me what you want, baby."

My grin practically split my face in half. It'd be a miracle if he didn't notice my body shaking in laughter, now. "I want," I whispered lowly into his ear, "I _really_ want you to go finish getting ready."

"Yeah?" he whispered back, his voice husky. "You want me to—" He froze and looked up at me, an angry smirk on his face as he realized what I had done. "Oh, you sly dog," he said. I snuck out from beneath his grasp and escaped towards the bathroom, picking up his shirt and pulling it over my head as I went. "You're going to pay for that."

I heard his footsteps trailing behind me and I slammed the bathroom door shut quickly, hiding in the shower as if that'd provide some sort of nuclear protection. A second later, the door snapped open and I heard his footsteps pad on the tile floor of the bathroom and I held my breath.

"Oh, Bella," he sang. "Where are you?"

There wasn't much question as to where I was, but it made me smile nevertheless. But it immediately faded when his hand shot into the shower and turned the water on. The cold water covered my head and soaked Edward's shirt through and through, making it cling to my skin. I probably looked like a drowned rat, but when he stuck his head in with that stupid grin, I couldn't help but grin again. He was just too darn cute. When he stepped in the shower, though, I reached a hand out to stop him.

"Didn't you shower like a half hour ago?" I asked as he tore his shirt over his head and started unbuckling his jeans.

"Of course," he said. "But who's to say that I spent enough time showering? Maybe I was just trying to relieve my morning wood?" He stepped into the shower for the second time in the last hour, naked, and I couldn't help the growl that formed in my chest. "Maybe I need another one." He came to me and pulled his shirt over my head for what seemed like the eighteenth time this morning and tossed it out of the shower. It landed with a splat on the floor, but not a second later he was pulling my panties down over my knees and to my ankles.

As soon as those were gone, Edward pulled me close. "No funny business, mister," I scolded as I molded into him and buried my face in his chest. "We seriously need to get ready."

"Mhmm," he said. "No funny business. Got it." His hands traveled up and down the wet, slippery skin back.

I closed my eyes as the water cascaded down from over his shoulders and down his chest, swiping over my face and my hair. I felt him reach over to grab his soap and wrap it in the one washcloth that I had claimed as my own a while back. He started wiping it over my back, the suds slipping off and into the water that was washing down the drain. He was extra gentle over the rug burn, kissing me even through the sharp sting.

He continued his path, prying me away from him as he took care of both of my legs—and the apex, of course, but he was a gentleman about it. Well, sort of anyway. He only slipped in two fingers, claiming that even the inside needed to be cleaned if he was going to be as thorough as he wanted. I rolled my eyes, but secretly enjoyed the jolt of pleasure it sent through me.

Edward followed up my stomach and my breasts, kissing each one gingerly before moving to my shoulders and arms, and subsequently my cheeks and neck.

When he finished, he brought out his shampoo and rubbed it into my hair just the way I had taught him. The first time we showered together, he had been a little clumsy and may have torn out a few hairs on accident. But he was much better now, and my eyes rolled back into my head as he massaged my scalp.

A surprisingly feminine giggle escaped his chest when my head was full of the suds, and I slapped his arm lightly before turning into the water to wash it all out. The whole process was repeated on him, and I couldn't help the smile on my face when I 'washed' the length of him and it was his turn to moan. But with those two exceptions, the shower was surprisingly not sexual.

But as we stepped into the hallway to get to my car, we ran into Craig. And that dirty little smile of his.

"You know," he said as he sauntered over to where we were standing. I couldn't help but try not to laugh at him. This was _Craig_ we were talking about, and he just tried to _saunter_. Ew. "I couldn't help but notice last night as I was walking back to my apartment that there was a lot of commotion coming from your room, dear Edward."

Edward flushed and I buried my face into his side.

"You two have quite the vocal chords, did you know that?" He laughed and turned away. "Told you the angry sex would be the hottest. Didn't I say that?" he called over his shoulder.

We watched as he disappeared into his apartment, laughing. "We need new neighbors," Edward commented before he led me to the elevators.

* * *

"You're late," Alice exclaimed.

Edward glanced at his watch on the hand that was holding my own. "Alice, it's 3:59. You called us when we were stepping out of the shower and told us to meet you here at four. We technically still have one minute until we're on time. And why are we here so early, anyway? Did you say dinner would be before Alki?"

"Yes, but I changed my mind. Is that so wrong? We're going to do a walk and then, if you guys really want to, we can go for a little swim."

I looked at Edward from the corner of my eye. "I didn't bring a suit," I said. I didn't tell her that my not bringing a suit had been on purpose. How embarrassing would it have been to wear it and have everyone see the effects of rough sex on Edward's hallway carpet? No, thank you. Not today, not ever. That was too out of line for me.

"Edward obviously remembered," she noted. "And you can just wear your bra and panties, can't you?"

My lips pursed, quickly trying to find a way out of it. "I wouldn't be able to wear anything out to eat," I settled on, even though I knew I was losing this battle.

Alice rolled her eyes. "You think the people at these restaurants have never seen someone with a wet swimsuit bleeding through their clothes? Please, Bella. Just get over it."

Edward sensed that I wasn't really comfortable and brought his arm around my waist. But he didn't defend me. Stupid boyfriend. The rest of them had gotten there a little before us and were already stripped down to their swimsuits and in the water. Even Rosalie had decided to get her hair wet. She and Emmett looked comfortable, sitting in the shallow water with her back to his chest as he rubbed soothing circles over her ever-expanding stomach. Alice had jumped on Jasper's back and didn't even look back at us as they headed towards the water.

As soon as they were out of earshot, I glared up at Edward before tearing myself away from him. "Thanks for helping me out, Edward," I said dryly as I sat my purse down in the pile that I knew had everyone else's things and crossed my arms over my chest, my back facing him. It came off more mad than I really was, but I didn't bother to correct myself.

His arms wrapped around my waist. And his chin propped onto my shoulder. It didn't escape my notice that he had already stripped his shirt off and was only in his swim trunks. My focus was thrown off slightly when the back of his chest came into contact with my shirt.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked. His fingers stroked lightly at the skin on my hips, making it hard to be angry.

"You didn't help me out. I don't _want_ them to see that. It's embarrassing and we'll never live it down."

Edward hummed as if he was contemplating exactly what to say. "Well, think about it this way. Maybe we won't ever live it down. But at the same time, the second your shirt and shorts come off, everyone on this beach is fully aware that you are taken and mine. Call me selfish, but isn't that even somewhat of a turn on for you? Showing off that magnificent little mark on your back that proves that you are_ fully_ satisfied." His lips pressed just behind my ear. "Can you maybe consider it?"

My lips pursed, but I wasn't really mad. "Yeah, it is kind of hot. But still. Have you ever _met_ your brother?"

"Maybe we could tell him you fell. It's not completely unbelievable."

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "Yeah, because the hickey wouldn't give everything away."

His lips pulled back into a grin against my cheek, where he was currently peppering kisses. "Take one for the team, Isabella," he murmured. "Just this once. It'll be you and me, alright? I'll help you out. Do what I can to take the brunt of it all. Do you want me to go talk to them about it?"

I shook my head. "No," I said, "That's fine. I can tolerate it. I just won't like it."

"You and me," he said as he helped me pull my shirt over my head. I unbuttoned my shorts and pulled them down to my ankles, thankful that I had gone with the black boy shorts over the white thong. _That_ would have been embarrassing.

Edward kissed each shoulder before grabbing my hand and helping me wade into the water. It was much colder than I had originally expected, and I let out a little squeal before clinging to Edward's waist. He chuckled before scooping me up and carrying me into deeper water. I could immediately see his intentions.

"No," I said, holding on around his neck for dear life. Maybe if I used all my strength, I'd be able to hold on when he let go. "No, no, no, no, no. Edward, please don't do this." The water was up to his hips now, and I knew it was only a matter of time. My but was almost hitting the water. "You don't want to do this, do you, Edward? Come on, I know you don't want to." I put one of my hands on his cheek, trying to distract him. But it wasn't working, and now I only had one arm around his neck.

He saw this as his perfect opportunity. His arms disappeared from underneath me and I fell straight down into the water with a splash. It slapped against the rug burn, making it sting just a little. My hair was swamped by the water and rushed into my face, the water flowing up my nose. When I resurfaced, I couldn't stop coughing. It felt like there was more water in my lungs than any human should ever have.

I slapped Edward's chest as I tried to cough out the rest of the water. "You bastard," I said between wheezes.

"You love me," he said, pulling me to him and effectively shutting me up.

"Shut up," I replied, pressing a kiss to his chest.

"Holy shit, what the hell happened to you?" Emmett asked as he rushed over to where we were standing. Edward spun me around and pulled my back against his chest so he couldn't see. Not that it was much help. Emmett had already seen it. He pulled on my arm, trying to get me to show it to him again, but I wouldn't. Edward was holding me too tightly. "Jesus, little bro. You guys must have had quite the night. Was this last night or is this relatively old?" he asked.

Edward all but snarled at Emmett. "Enough," he said. "Leave it alone."

But it was Emmett, so of course he wouldn't. In fact, he called more people over. "Alice, Jasper, Rosie baby, come check this out." Alice and Jasper treaded awkwardly through the water to come see what he was talking about. Rosalie simply waved her hand saying that she'd see it later. "Look at this," he said, pulling me from Edward's grasp and spinning me so everyone else could see.

"Oh, so _that's_ what you were trying to hide," Alice said, laughing.

I went back to Edward and buried my face into his chest. He placed his arms over the small of my back, concealing everything from them. "Man, guys, you don't do anything half-assed, do you?" he said. "And Jesus, Eddie, did you have to take her on the carpet? That's gotta hurt."

"I'm not kidding," Edward said. "Leave her alone. She didn't even want to come out here today because of it."

"Aw, Bella, it's nothing to be ashamed of. We've all had our fair share of battle scars," Jasper said. But he couldn't keep the wicked grin from his face. "Granted, I've never had any _that_ big…," he trailed off.

Edward's breath picked up and I could tell he was getting angry. I brought my head up to look at him and dove a hand through his damp hair, calming him what little I could. I feel this heartbeat slow to normal before he looked down to me. "Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded. I was able to take the heat, but it just sucked. I knew it was all in good fun, but I wasn't used to being the one that was made fun of. Usually it was us making fun of Emmett and Rosalie.

"I'm fine," I told him quietly. "They're just joking around. Nothing to get worked up about, okay?"

His eyes closed and he nodded. I kissed him chastely. It'd be fine.

* * *

After many games of chicken—only between Edward, Jasper, Alice, and I, of course—and a refreshing dinner, Edward and I headed home. I was exhausted from the last two days and Edward was practically carrying all of my weight into the elevator. My hair was curly from not being properly dried after the beach, my shirt was soaked through from my bra, and my wet jean shorts were anything but comfortable.

I was vaguely aware of Edward's hand digging into his pocket and pulling out the famous silver coin. "Call it," he said, somehow knowing that I was awake even though I wasn't even completely sure _I_ was.

"Heads," I mumbled.

He flipped it in the air and caught it with the hand that wasn't around my waist. "Heads it is. What time does your mom get here tomorrow?"

"Ten." My eyes were pretty much shut by now.

"I'll set your alarm for nine, is that alright?"

"Mhmm," I said. My head slumped against his chest and his arm tightened around me to keep from falling flat on my face. I think he mentioned something about needing to stay awake for just a little longer, but I didn't care. It didn't matter to me that I wasn't in my bed, or that I was standing in an elevator. All that mattered was that I was tired and wanted to sleep.

And for the second time in the last two days, Edward had to carry me to bed and put me in some different clothes. I owed this man. I probably owed him my life.

But for now, I wanted to sleep. I'd pay him back in the morning.

* * *

**A/N:** One flashback after this and then the start of the climax. Which means roughly six more chapters and an epilogue. _Sigh_. Sad day.

**1400 reviews equals an update Friday. **1415 equals an update Friday _and_ Sunday. If that's the case, you'll figure out whose book will be published on Sunday. :o

Also, check out the forum (link's on our homepage). I really want it to get popular, so maybe if some people go visit it and leave some comments I'll post a preview of the Sunday chapter. I'll answer any questions you have, too. So please go take a look. :)

Google or Bing and why?

Allie


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